When you think of a surfer girl, the generic image of a bikini clad model walking down the shore with a surfboard tucked under arm, probably comes to mind. Blue Medicine shows a different reality: cold water surfing, Scottish style. The hardcore women featured in Blue Medicine dress head to toe in neoprene, and take to the seas despite freezing temperatures. Their reason being: mental health.

Women have always faced hardships in aspects of life in comparison to men. Surfing is no different and despite having just as much right to roam in Scotland as men, women have to paddle hard to break the glass wave that often looms overhead. 

Blue Medicine, follows seven women in Scotland who have a strong connection to the ocean and advocate spending time in nature as a source of pure strength.

Caldwell "After studying video journalism for a semester at the Danish School of Media and Journalism, I realised that video is such an amazing tool to use to tell stories and discuss wider issues. Throughout my journalism studies I have documented surfing and for my final major project at university it was a no brainer to do a documentary on something I’m so passionate about.

I think the most amazing part of filming Blue Medicine was connecting to the Scottish surf scene and speaking to an amazing array of women as well as travelling to the north and east coastline of Scotland.

I have come away from working on this piece with an even deeper respect for women who participate in extreme sports and a renewed love for Scotland. The fact the documentary includes women who surf in Scotland, the music from a Scottish band and videography from a range of Scottish creatives is such a testament to the equality that the Scottish creative scene can have and could have. This may be a piece focused on women but I really do want to show that at the end of the day it’s all about equal rights, in and out of the water! " 

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James "Don’t worry, the irony isn’t lost on me; Being the one guy working on a project solely focused on the ladies. But when Sorsha approached me with the idea, I couldn’t pass it up. Maybe I can’t feel the things they feel, or experience the same difficulties, but I absolutely can help them tell their stories. Sorsha brought out the best in our interview subjects and marrying that up with some of the best Raw, freezing cold coastline our country has to offer, was a pleasure."

@braw_surf