It was only a matter of time before the words ‘hillbilly’ and ’skatepark’ were meshed together in a timeless story of perpetual adolescence and backwoods abandon. Skatopia is a film about an Appalachian ‘teenage skate cult’ where skating, punk rock and hillbilly culture collide. The owner bought the farm (literally), 88 rural acres in Ohio, and made it into his own personal skate-punk utopia, somewhere where he could skate or die, with his multitudes of teenage friends and workers. They host punk rock shows, demolition derbies and light each others’ cars on fire, however when the law and bills come in for a buzz kill, you see the 40-something, Brewce Martin, have to sober up and face the music. Even after being on the ropes financially and legally, his courage and tenacity are inspiring, even if flawed.

Skatopia plays next week as part of the Seattle Skateboard Film Festival (August 14-17). Showcasing films from everyone from Spike Jonze to Gus Van Sant, SFF is one of few festivals dedicated to the art of skate films. Just looking through the list of films being screened, the festival is obviously a creative launching pad for thos passionate about the sport.

Skateboard Film Festival