Serena Kirby, Denmark Bulletin
Surfer, activist, writer and filmmaker Lucy Small will return to Denmark this month for the screening of her new film, Ceibo.
Lucy grew up in Denmark and says that even though she lives on the East Coast she still calls Denmark home.
Lucy’s entree into filmmaking came with an onscreen appearance in a surfing travel show and she was later approached to make a short film on female surfers in Ghana.
She then saw an opportunity to make a second film with fellow surfer and activist Pacha Light who was born in Ecuador.
The feature-length documentary titled, Ceibo, follows Lucy and Pacha’s journey across Ecuador taking them through the Andes, the Amazon Rainforest, the Galapagos Islands and road tripping along the coastline.
“Along the way we meet different women who share their struggles and concerns on a range of topics including mining, climate change and illegal fishing in the Galapagos Islands,” Lucy said.
The film features stunning scenery, interesting people, environmental insights and, of course, great surf footage.
The film is in keeping with Lucy’s interest in current political and social landscapes as she has a master’s degree in peace and conflict studies.
She’s not shy to call out injustice when she sees it.
As a champion surfer Lucy stole the spotlight at a leading longboard surf event in 2021 when she publicly called out the competition’s inequality in prize money between male and female surfers.
The video of Lucy’s podium speech went viral and led her to launch an ‘Equal Pay For Equal Play’ campaign which pushes for pay equality in sport.
In talking about her latest film Lucy hoped the take home message was that ‘it takes all of us to make change’.
“We can all do our part in the way that we have the capacity to,” Lucy said.
Ceibo will screen at the Denmark Riverside Club this Easter on Saturday, April 16.
Doors open at 5.30pm with the film starting at 6pm and will be followed by a Q and A session with Lucy.
Tickets are $16 and can be purchased online via humanitix or on the night.
Proceeds from the screening will go to four environmental organisations working in areas where Ceibo was filmed.
This article appeared in Denmark Bulletin, 3 April 2025.
