‘Giants’ rides the big screen

Marisa O’Neil

A Hollywood-style premiere will bring Hawaii’s famed North Shore to

the Newport seaside tonight.

Newport Beach’s Regency Lido Theater will host the gala premiere

of the new surf documentary “Riding Giants,” directed by Stacy

Peralta. The event will feature blue -- for the ocean -- carpet

arrivals, a Hawaiian-themed party and big-name surfers from the

movie, including Laird Hamilton and Greg Noll.

“It’s a thrill to have a premiere, especially this film, which

highlights the surfing culture that is such a part of Newport Beach,”

said Todd Quartararo, director of marketing for the Newport Beach

Film Festival, one of the event’s sponsors. “This movie is absolutely

amazing. It’s just a thrill to watch.”

Another Peralta film, “Dogtown and Z-Boys,” won best documentary

at the festival in 2002 for its depiction of the 1970s skateboard culture.

“Riding Giants” chronicles the sport of surfing from its

Polynesian roots to the daredevil, big-wave riders like Hamilton. It

includes footage of big-wave riding off the northern shores of Oahu,

said event coordinator Peggy Fort, giving them a Hawaiian theme for

the after party.

Some stars from Fox’s prime-time soap “The North Shore” will also

be at the premiere, Fort said.

The theater, just a few blocks from the beach, often screens

surfing movies, including last year’s premiere of “Step Into Liquid,”

Fort said.

“There are a lot of surfers in the area,” she said. “I think

that’s a big reason why we’re able to get this and able to do a

premiere like this.”

Tonight’s premiere and party will benefit the nonprofit coastal

preservation group Surfrider Foundation and Ocean of Hope. Ocean of

Hope raises funds through paddle boarding events -- such as the

Catalina Classic -- to support people suffering from sarcoma, a type

of cancer that develops from connective tissues.

Mark Schulein, chair for Ocean of Hope, said he’s excited to take

part in the premiere and see surf legends like Noll and Hamilton.

Both have participated in the Catalina-to-Manhattan Beach

paddle-board race, and Hamilton once took off next to Schulein at the

start of the race.

“He’s such an amazing athlete,” Schulein said. “People in big-wave

surfing are such extreme watermen.”

The film’s stars will arrive tonight in classic “Woody” wagons,

and the Via Lido Plaza will be decorated like a Hawaiian surf

village.

VIP tickets, including a pre-show cocktail party, are already sold

out, Fort said. General admission tickets, which include the after

party, raffle and giveaways are still available.

* MARISA O’NEIL covers education. She may be reached at (949)

574-4268 or by e-mail at marisa.oneil@latimes.com.