Rafael Sobral

When I was around 16 years old, I went to surf in a next town break, and when I got to the beach, I saw Rafael Sobral leaving and he said hi to me… He was already one of the top brazilians longboarders and I remember exactly how stoked I was with him saying hi to me… After some years I got to know him and he was always one of the kindest guys ever. He’s one of the guys behind the biggest websites in South America and it’s a awesome film maker. On the festival he will show a short movie about the last year event. And it’s a honor to have him with us.

What’s you name and where are you from?
My name is very big, Rafael Corrêa Sobral Caetano da Silva, but people known me as Rafael Sobral. I am from Santos, São Paulo.

When did you find out that you would be an artist?
I do not know if I am really an artist. My brother Nei Sobral is the artist in the family, I just try to do my best. I started doing surf videos to promote my longboard website. I have a lot of friends on brazilian longboard community and the video was an good opportunity expose their talent. I enjoyed it very much.

What do you want to show to people when you do your art?
In my first video, Longboard 2000, I decided to use a very simple formula, just music and surf trip images. In my second movie "Hang with us", I tried to make surfers tell their thoughts about what does longboard mean for each one. It was much more interesting. Now, as I do not have to much time to work on my video projects, I make some small videos that I publish in my website. In this videos, I try to bring the simple emotions of been surfing with family or meeting friends in longboard festivals and show their emotions in that moment. Try to give an inside view where idols are just a stoked friend. I try to find the best part of people.

What’s surf for you?
I think that surf is really my art. I am not that surfer, but when I surf, I feel like dancing. Maybe it is the way I express myself more naturally.

Can you tell us some highlights in your career?
My father was one of surf pioneers in São Vicente and through his friends was introduced the longboard community. When I was 17 years old (1994) I got longboard state championship. I was brazillian team member in the ASP World Championships at Makaha (1997), Australia (1999) and Brazil (2000). At that time internet was starting to get popular in Brazil and I started a longboard website (Hanging Together) that become very popular. So I decided to try making my living on that. I was a hard decision because I was working in a Research Institute, finishing my Master in Science degree and going to a Ph.D. I left everything behind for something I was not sure if was going to work. Sponsors was not used to internet so I decided to make a movie to show then the value of my work with something they were able to understand, a surf video. I never made money on the website but the videos were best sellers in Brazil, most because of the good network provided by the website. After an year I got no money anymore, but my skills as webmaster guarantee a job at Waves.com.br. Soon it became the leader on segment and I became a partner. I developed a live cam beach site with my partners at Waves called e-surf.com.br. The software I developed for that is used today by many ski resorts too, and even by WaveWatch for sometime.

What comes to your mind when you hear the word Brasil?
Friends and family. I love my country and specially my hometown Santos, where I am near to the beach and I meet friends of a lifetime walking in the streets.

How do you feel to be part of an art show over here in Santos city?
I am really happy for Jair invitation. I believed it is going to be a big event, with a lot of interesting things and best of all, it is in Santos. :)

Some words to the people that will see your work in Brasil...
I hope people enjoy. They are not great productions, I do them with what I have on hands, but It has a lot my of my passion about the theme. I think this why same people like it.

www.e-surf.com.br
www.waves.com.br