natsuki

In mid-April, 2007 - a Japanese film crew and a team of world-class windsurfers converged at Stable Road. They came to capture in high-def video the action sequences for a new movie in the works, honoring the Japanese windsurfing hero, Natsuki Iijima, who passed away in 2006. Here are some photos from the film set. Ho'okele 'anó á mau loa ma na lani, Natsuki.

Japanese shoot

An old Neil Pryde race sail used in the shoot

The team discuss the next sequence

Each detail is carefully considered

Alf Imperato and the team sorting it out

Guss Taylor seems to be coping with the situation!

Everyone agrees - let’s get on the water!

Take 1

Take 2

Take 3

The technical team discuss the shot

The sailors discuss a new move on the water

Ready to go again

Take 14

Take 15

Take 16

Back on the beach, a move is discussed

Details are ironed out

Guss gets ready to return to the water

The end of another day

A casualty of war...

The crew discuss the days work

Micah Buzianis packs up for the day

Alf goes out for another run - just for fun!

Time to call it a day

Life’s a beach...

...and then you smile

Time for another mast!

Getting ready for more filming

Take 35

Take 36

Diony Guadagnino

Take 41

Kevin Pritchard

Micah and Kevin take a short break

Some nice gear!

Rick Markham and Robby Swift

All of the moves are carefully coordinated

Alf Imperato, in between takes, walks the beach

Take 45 - do it one more time - and - action!

Kevin and Micah take a break

Right... Back to work!

“What is that thing”?

Kevin Pritchard with his Maui Sails TR-3

With the shoot over, the fun begins!

The end of another Stable Road day!

PhotoFiles

natsukiiijima

Born on August 15th 1966, Natsuki Iijima was the only Japanese windsurfer to have competed in the PWA World Cup for 8 years. A world-renowned professional windsurfer, Natsuki based himself in Maui and Guam - and was active all over the world, competing in an average of twenty competitions a year. As well as collecting prizes at countless international competitions, Iijima was the winner of numerous Japanese national competitions. After moving to Guam in 1993, he started up a marine sports center, and devoted himself to the teaching of windsurfing.

In June 2002, Natsuki was diagnosed with liver cancer, and despite undergoing major surgery twice, as well as various forms of therapy, his condition worsened. After battling depression and panic attacks, with the support and encouragement of family and friends, he succeeded in overcoming these. He felt that he was “being allowed to live”, and found great inspiration and motivation to go on living through a passion for writing, which he discovered by chance just around this time. In June 2004, Iijima’s first novel, “Tengoku de kimi ni aetara” “If I see you in Heaven”, was published by Shinchosha, and has gone on to be praised highly as a masterpiece on life, death and love. He continued to work on a sequel.

Iijima then moved to Hawaii with his wife Hiroko and four children. He died in 2006, at the age of 38.

Coming in August 2007 is a film based on his true life story. Actor Oosawa Tako plays Natsuki and Ito Misaki as Hiroko.

Apparently, Natsuki Iijima had dreamed of making a film about windsurfing. According to the cast, Natsuki looked over them during production, providing scenes that were full of sunshine and wind. When the production was over, the sun was gone as was the wind.

The film “Tengoku de Kimi ni Aetara” (If I See You in Heaven) will be released on August 25th in Japan.

Official film website: http://www.life-tenkimi.jp

Natsuki Iijima official website: http://natsuki.air-nifty.com

ProFile:NatsukiIijima