The Hold Down
My first documentary score.
While “big wave surfer” Sacha Bongaertz battles towering waves off the coast of Nazaré, Portugal, on land he wrestles with the pain of his youth, rheumatoid arthritis, and a search for meaning.
Sacha grows up with severe rheumatoid arthritis, and the divorce of his parents leaves him without stability at home. One day, during a school surfing trip, something indescribable awakens within him. He buys his own board, and every day spent by the sea makes his arthritis more bearable. “On the water, I am free—there, I feel nothing but life.” But the mental scars run deeper. Through candid conversations with his parents and his rheumatologist, Sacha confronts his past in The Hold Down. Meanwhile, he dreams of opening a surf school for children with arthritis. But is that enough to fill the emptiness he has felt for so long?
The towering waves Sacha manages to ride symbolize his inner struggles and the unpredictability of life itself. How does he manage to stay upright despite it all? Through Sacha’s journey, The Hold Down holds up a mirror to young people trying to stay afloat in a society full of pressure, performance expectations, and uncertainty. How do you stay true to yourself? What truly helps when life becomes overwhelming? And how do you stay connected to those around you—even the ones who’ve caused you pain?
Credits:
Client: Latitude Originals
Director: Jan Paul van der Velden
Producer: Bram van Vugt
Music: Diederik Idenburg,
Music team: Han Litz, Benjamin de Murashkin, Bastiaan Mulder
Sound design: Stephan Bakker
Watch here. Dutch only.