Globe’s “Love the Beast” TriBeCa Film Festival Première

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• May 05 2009
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Words and photos by Agatha Wasilewska

Globe CEO Matt Hill and his brothers Steve and Peter, who founded the Australian skate brand, produced a new film, Love the Beast, an Australian documentary from Eric Bana, about the emotional and near obsessive love he feels for a Ford XB Falcon Coupe that he calls “the beast.” “Filmmaking is one of the things we pride ourselves on here at Globe,” says Globe VP of Global Marketing Michael Marcx. “I think this ‘love’ is exemplified in the myriad surf and skate films we’ve produced over the years. Well, beyond the action sports genre, our company has a unique outreach into much more mainstream storytelling.”

The love shines through in this documentary charting two years in the life of Bana his childhood friends-aka “mates.” As the journey of the “beast” unfolds, Eric chats to various people about this love. Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson relates to Eric’s secret passion completely and dismisses those people who don’t understand the bond between man and vehicle. Comedian Jay Leno opens his heart and his garage and shows off his jaw-dropping collection of vintage cars. Dr. Phil even drops by.

The movie’s look back in time gives the audience an honest and genuine look at Bana’s lifelong fascination with the vehicle and how it has kept four close mates together over 25 years. As teens in 1996, the band of boys entered the car on a spoof, with Bana at the wheel, in the grueling 5-day Targa Tasmania Tarmac Rally. To their surprise, they placed 3rd overall, and this race spurred Bana’s hobby and passion for racing, with his mates in tow. The film reaches its pinnacle when the team returns with the “beast” for a re-match 25 yrs later.

Even if you’re only vaguely aware of the comedian-turned-Hollywood star and think of your car as nothing more than a hunk of steel to get you around, “Love The Beast” has the mellow glow of a time passed, and truly showcases the delicate relationships men have with each other, and how these bonds are solidified and maintained in the guise of fixing and maintaining a car.

Bana states, ‘You should love whatever the beast in your life might be.’ And while the subject matter is a departure from the realm of action sports for the Hill bros, we can all relate. Passion is passion and it comes in all shapes and forms.

In true New York fashion, the film’s debut was followed by a fun, game filled after-party at the infamous Ace Bar in the East Village, sponsored by Stoli, Kim Crawford Wine, & Heineken.