#andre paskowski

...emotionally charged...

at the Munich Premiere of Mind Wide Open the Movie!

The first time I saw it I felt something not capable of being expressed by words.

the second time I realized that the film is about a different sport... 

the third time I felt depressed knowing I couldn't ride these...

...

Now I 'm in love with the movie.

A movie showcasing amazing moments, featuring unique riders in elite locations.

God knows how this man produced such a movie while having the hardest time in his life.

Finally the Minds Wide Open DVD is in our hands!

Windsurfers.de, German online mag posed some very interesting questions to Andre Paskowski (google translated text):

Andre Paskowski fighting since May last year with cancer and had to undergo several treatments in the course of chemotherapy treatments and surgeries. Most recently, he had to spend nine weeks for treatment in hospital. Nevertheless, he is working in parallel on a very ambitious film project: Minds Wide Open is the successor to its successful production of Four Dimensions.

We talked with Andre about his illness and the course of production under these difficult conditions. Andre, thank you for taking the time to speak with us. My first question, of course, how are you? I'm doing well under the circumstances. And that means? I have just one more chemotherapy treatment for 9 weeks in the hospital. When I heard that I go to the hospital again, and for 9 weeks, I thought, I do not stand by. But it went much faster than expected. And I've noticed that there are a lot of patients who are worse off than me. I had more time in the different patients in my room. Because I've seen a lot of misery. And noticed that others had less courage and strength than I do. I am very grateful that I, not least through the support of my parents and friends was always good before. All my values ​​are now well, according to doctors. I hope now, as nothing else in the world that it is now really been. I am currently getting radiation treatments, but otherwise applies medically incurable. That sounds positive times, but it means I should again suffer a relapse had, the doctors no more funds available to continue to treat me.

What the irradiation means for you? Is this still a burden? It is a proton radiation to the head. Thus, the risk should be eliminated, that remain in the brain remnants of cancer cells. The brain is protected by a tourniquet from the rest of the blood circulation in the body separately, so that diseases do not skip on the brain. This also means that a chemo-therapy, there may not become fully effective. The irradiation is in fact a burden, even if I feel up to now no side effects. The radiation treatments are given every day and are connected with an hour's drive and waiting. I also need every day to the hospital, a place that I can not see. Here you are exposed every day the misery of cancer.

You are experiencing any other treatments? The rest are rehab programs and sports. That's the fun part. It's about my performance to be restored. These are different measures of orientation and balance exercises to real endurance training. Of course, with less stress. Also, my lungs, which was operated on 2 times, too, trained. These are techniques where for example the lungs are massaged to respiratory stimuli set.

Is because your work on the film project at this stage the right thing? Such a production is, you know better than me, very nerve-wracking. That's a valid question. The project has given me throughout my struggle with cancer always kept one goal in mind and given strength. That was very important to me. Currently there is a bit stressful. I naturally want to ensure that the film is as good as possible. But right now I do not force me all day to put into the cut. But I notice that Basti (Sebastian Dörr, Schol. Ed.) needs support. This is completely normal. If you stare all day alone on the screen sometime lack the necessary distance and inspiration. Unfortunately, yes this time Peter Svensson is not one of the party. Our last film has succeeded too well. Then Peter got an irresistible offer from Red Bull and is working now firmly in Salzburg. Basti working alone so much and I would have more support if possible. This I still have to power. I now have to find the right balance and not let me stress. The project will bring positive energy to all. But it is now not that we are facing major problems. I just want to make sure ahead of time that everything goes according to plan. That's my job as a producer.

How are you because of it? You had already mentioned last year in Sylt as the wordcup preferred date for the premiere. You have all the images you need? Absolutely. We already have so much good material that we can bring it sure is not everything. We shot it in Hawaii, among other things, the Cape Verde Islands, on Gran Canaria and in Egypt and have an incredible amount of good footage. Nevertheless, now Victor, together with Ricardo and Kauli Basti on the way to Indonesia. As we hopefully get pictures of locations that are not yet known. The big challenge now is the cut. All the good stuff must be put together into a coherent overall good work. Our driver (Marcilio Browne, Kauli Seadi, Ricardo Campello, Philip Köster, Gollito Estredo and Victor Fernandez, Schol. D. Red) will be satisfied. Can you make a move away, the person asks you why this move is just thrown out. And in fact the World Cup, Sylt is still the preferred date for the publication. That would be best PR and a good start to the sale. And we have to sell the film. We have invested a lot. And has my illness, my financial position is not just improved. I could now pursue even a half years since my profession as a non-athlete. Do you have enough support to make everything possible at the time you finished? The team is great. Basti is responsible for film and editing. He is experienced and has even worked on all my projects. Michael Sumereder also filming and taking photos. With Tristan Nico Uthe and we do not have specialists for colors, graphics and design. The only thing still would not be bad, just a little support for Basti on average. But we'll manage it. I'm absolutely confident that we are ready for the World Cup on Sylt. Andre, thank you for the interview. I'll push, as the total world wind surfing fingers crossed that you'll finally fit again. And I'd be incredibly happy if held on Sylt is the premiere of Mind Wide Open.

Photos: Michael Sumereder

The seeding system for EFPT races includes injury points. These injury points secure that a rider does not fall back behind an appropriate position on the starting list if he can not take part in events because of an injury. Andre Paskowski is the latest rider on whom we had to make use of injury points. On March 27th the news was posted that Andre has to get back in medical treatment as blood tests and CT showed abnormalities. The EFPT asked Andre about his current state of health, his movie project and this years freestyle events.

EFPT: The first thing we want to know, is, of course, how are doing?

Andre Paskowski: I am doing ok. I had a bigger operation 4 weeks ago and right now I start doing my 2nd full cycle of chemo therapy. It is all very strange. I really hoped that I can stay healthy for a bit. I got in good physical shape and were just about to start sailing again. Well this seems far away from me right now. The operation and chemo will again steal lots of energy.

  EFPT: What´s on your schedule for the next days and weeks?

AP: Pretty simple schedule. 6 days non stop chemo with around 7 liters per day in hospital. After I rest in my house for 2 weeks then I start again. This I do 4 times.

  EFPT: Your first major movie project was a big success and immediately led into your current project entitled „Minds Wide Open“. What got you into filming?

AP: Four Dimensions was by far not the first project I worked on. We did movies like Wet and Salty, Flashback plus many bigger online movies like 2forten, stacked etc.

The only difference by Four Dimensions was, that I was taking a much bigger risk financially like this improved our Budget a lot and from there getting a better result. I enjoy the work behind a camera. I have won a lot of contests and titles and it made me happy. But nobody profits from that just yourself, your sponsors and your ego. With movies it is different. I create a product. And when I get all the emails or comments like “he I saw Four Dimensions now 1000 times and it made the winter pass quick” then I am happy. Windsurfing is full of emotions. You scream after a good session, you cry when it is no wind, you talk to your friend about new moves… to capture this the right way and transfer it to many other viewer is a great job. 

  EFPT: Where did this success come from?

AP: As I said we started of with WetandSalty. That was a big success. And then we learned over the years. I invested in lots of camera gear. We took higher risks. We also got a bit older. In general we just created something we liked and others liked it too. When I watched the first 35minutes from Four Dimensions I sit back closed my room did not say anything and after 35minutes I turned of the mac and said. That’s it. If you travel to 7 spots with the 6 best riders – sure your movie will be good. But to make it special it needs this extra touch and Four Dimensions had it. I think a big reason for that was that we were just crazy. We did not step back from investments because they would not pay financially back, we also did not show any sponsor gear in close ups, we also did not say in interviews”he I am Gollito and I am the fucking best”. It all was natural, sort of understatement but progressive and new. 

  EFPT: „Four Dimensions“ focused very much on its characters/sailors. What´s the plot for „Minds Wide Open“?

AP: Minds Wide Open will focus more on destinations. We wont have particular Rider parts. A mix of riders travel to destinations as a group. I like to come back to this soul surfing style. Were you see the fundamental base of each windsurfer. Being in a group, seeing new places and people, enjoying perfect conditions, having fun with friends. I think every windsurfer has this pictures running trough his head every once in a while. And our film should create this “dream” then it was a good film.

  EFPT: The pictures you and your fellows post on facebook show amazing wave spots. Is there room for freestyle windsurfing in the movie?

AP: For sure there is. We got Gollito. So I don’t really have to say much about the action level of freestyle. We will show every side of creative windsurfing. Jumping, Riding and Freestyle. 

  EFPT: This year´s freestyle season kicked off early with PWA´s Vietnam event where Kiri took an impressive win ahead of Gollito. The first regular EFPT events will pass off at the end of May. All in all, it looks as if freestyle got back on track this season. Both PWA and EFPT could fix more and new events than yesteryears. You grew up in freestyle events and vice versa. What do you think future will bring for freestyle windsurfing?

AP: Well, it has been always the way that the amount of events is shifting. Sometimes towards Slalom, then freestyle, then wave. So I would not indicate a bright future just by the amount of events.

More exciting for me is to see the fleet of sailors. We see very young guys. Again as well a group of strong European Riders which is good. The youth is the most important for our sport and we really need to treat them good. On the other hand I see many of my concurrents leaving the sport. Which makes me sad. There are some well known guys which just can not make a living out of it anymore. That’s really too bad as people also need persons and names they know. Heros. In waves you have that. You have guys being on top 5-10 years and then comes a change. Freestyle can be taff. 2-3-4 years and over. 

But my biggest concern about the freestyle from today is the judging and moves. I watched the Vietnam World Cup live and some decisions felt wrong. I know that our rules agree with the results but a “normal” viewer mostly cant understand the results unless he is a freestyle specialist. But if we have Live Stream, we want that the result is understandable for ALL Windsurfers plus maybe even some people who just pass the website. 

When I see all this new moves then I must say that most of them I don’t like from the look. And only 2 or 3 guys perform the moves nicely. The rest use power and push the moves without speed to the end. I don’t like this development. Sure we need an innovative format to see new moves but for me a 5meter Shaka still counts more then a culo. The style and beauty of a shaka is not to match. Look at surfing. There is all the backside 360s and so on. They get 8points or 8,5 but then comes a classic full rail cutback and it gets a 10 by one turn. Because classic beauty is not to match. Most of our new guys don’t even train the “simple” moves anymore. They go from beachstart straight to kono, culo, burner and skopu. Then they have their 4 moves for the contest and fine. Well in the end I think we need to score beauty and style more to make everything more understandable. Every move from Kiri looks easy – because he makes it look easy – because he is extremely good. But then a viewer can not say… ah he won because this was more difficult then that. It should be ah he won because this was more beautiful then that.!!!