There are moments in surfing when a single edit can change how the wider community sees a rider. For Issam Auptel, the short film Touching Grass, screened during a recent Quiksilver Festival hangout, performs exactly that work: it places a compact, powerful surfer front and center and gives viewers a clear sense of what he rides and why he’s worth watching.
The film that introduces Issam Auptel
Touching Grass is a focused piece that showcases Issam’s range and approach. The short film, which features Issam and was edited by him, was presented by longtime collaborator Guilherme Martins to a small group of Stab staff during the Quiksilver Festival. The screening was low-key: Issam arrived with his own lunch and a meticulous raspberry-topped cake, and the film was cued up on the Airbnb’s curved television while the filmmakers sorted technical details. What followed was a concise introduction to a surfer who had previously been someone of mystery in the line-up—consistently the best rider on the peak, but without a broad profile.
What the footage reveals
The edits underline several clear traits: Issam is a natural-foot surfer with a stocky, powerful build and composed technique. The film leans into standout sessions at a righthand pointbreak, where Issam’s timing and positioning let him claim an unusual share of waves even amid a local pack. Viewers are given a sense of his flow, control through turns, and an ability to find speed and line on waves that reward precision. The short closes with a sequence the screening room loved—an irreverent nod to classic surf indulgences labeled in the film as Honey Smacks.
Collaboration and context
Guilherme Martins appears throughout the film’s backstory as the documentarian and collaborator. The two have worked together for several years, and that relationship shows in the film’s rhythm: shots feel targeted and familiar, as if the filmmaker knows the surfer’s repertoire and looks for moments that compound into a larger portrait. That intimacy is one reason the film functions both as a surf highlight reel and a character piece.
Raised in Guadeloupe
Small biographical clues pepper the presentation: Issam was raised in Guadeloupe, a detail reflected in the film’s coastal fluency and relaxed cultural moments. That upbringing contributes to the stylistic blend on show—local wave knowledge balanced with a confident, competitive edge in crowded line-ups.
Why this matters to surfers and the scene
Short films remain one of the most efficient ways for under-the-radar surfers to reach an international audience. For surfers and industry watchers, Touching Grass functions as both a scouting tape and a reminder: raw talent still surfaces outside contest rankings and major sponsorships. The film highlights how a consistent approach to the wave—positioning, choice, and measured aggression—can outshine flashier moves when it comes to claiming waves in a busy break.
For local surfers, the film is instructive in subtle ways. Watching Issam pick lines and sit patiently for the right sets provides practical reminders about wave selection and timing at righthand points. For traveling surfers, his ability to integrate into a local pack and still find waves is a lesson in etiquette, observation, and taking intelligent risks.
Practical takeaways for riders
If you watch Touching Grass with a surfer’s eye, several practical elements stand out: make wave positioning a priority over trying to force turns; learn the cadence of a pointbreak so you can exploit inside sections; and cultivate a relationship with a filmer who understands your style—those collaborations tend to yield edits that communicate skill rather than just highlight individual clips. The film also illustrates how confidant, compact technique can be highly effective at righthand points that favor late drops and controlled hot-dogging.
Where to watch and next steps
Touching Grass is available online and is the best entry point for anyone curious about Issam’s surfing. The short won over a small but discerning audience during the festival screening—enough that Issam, who had been an anonymous force in the line-up, is now being talked about beyond the local break. For those tracking new European and Caribbean-influenced surf talent, Issam’s profile is one to follow, especially given his ongoing collaboration with Guilherme Martins.
Whether you’re a photographer, a filmmaker, or a surfer, Touching Grass is a concise reminder of how effectively a well-made short can raise the profile of a rider who’s been quietly dominating a line-up. It’s not about flashy bios or contest points; it’s about filmed evidence of skill, timing, and a distinct surf personality.
Source: Stab Mag — An Underground European Talent You Should Know