Three longboarding friends on the best days of waves of the year in Pavones is what can be seen in the new film Four Days in Paradise which is now being released on DUKE.

The director, filmmaker and editor, Juan Manuel Real, spoke with DUKE about his first short film selected at an international festival (Mimpi) and one of the best trips of his life.

How did the idea of ​​going on a trip with three longboarders come about?
It just happened, without many planning parameters, just like the rest of the trip, we just let things happen. It seemed like the stars had aligned and were on our side.

One day at the end of July I received a message from my friend Nacho Pignataro: "I'm going there in August, the idea is to go and see and find perfect waves, in principle we're going to be with Julián and Chloe Calmon, we want to grab the car and go out and explore."

It was at this moment that the whole idea of ​​the trip began. I had already been living in the mythical Pavones for a month and a half, so convincing them to go surf the longest lefts in the world was not difficult at all.

At what point did it occur to you that this could be a movie?
From the beginning, Nacho and I were talking about the idea of ​​making a long video a couple of years ago, but until now this hadn't happened.

But this time the conditions seemed perfect, we would meet to share with friends in a terrible place with high waves.

After finding out that the three of them were going there, I think the idea of ​​making the video was always there and I never got it out of my mind.

Everything was going so well that we were monitoring the swell for the dates the boys were traveling, not only was it wave season but it coincided with one of the best seas of the year. So when I saw the forecasts the idea of ​​the video was completely perfect for me.

What did you like most about making the video?
The experiences lived during the trip, the moments shared with friends, the new friendships, the meals, the surf sessions, the board games, the moments of relaxation and filming all day without stopping except to eat and drink water. I liked everything, but I think that above all having lived all these experiences enjoying the journey was perfect and in the end beyond the visual record, these are the moments that will remain in our hearts forever.

What was your least favorite thing about doing it?
I honestly don't think there's anything I didn't like, I enjoyed it so much at all times that it would be difficult to say anything.

Thinking about it, it could have been the video editing. I had already returned to Uruguay and spent a month editing shots with perfect waves and just thinking about the heat in Costa Rica and the cold I was going through, that didn't appeal to me as much. In addition to the ant-like work and the hours on the PC that video editing requires, but in the end all this always has its reward, every effort always has its reward!

And what did you like most about the result?
The path to the result was what I liked the most, since from an idea without planning arose a divine journey, great experience and the work of a great team of friends who pulled the same rope day after day.

I think that when one dedicates oneself to living the experience, despite having an objective, the important thing is to have the focus on enjoying the adventure to live, day by day, and that is how the great results arrive which are unimaginable.

How did the selection for the Mimpi festival come about?
The day I arrived in Uruguay, Chloe told me that the registrations for Mimpi were due. I looked at the details on the website and there were about 26 days left. From the beginning I never doubted it and I set the goal and started, knowing that perhaps it was not the deadline that I would have set for myself to publish it, but it was the challenge that arose along the way and since everything was going well, I had to take advantage of it.

From that moment on it was like the journey continued, I was so immersed in the video that I felt like I was there, the journey was like it hadn't ended and I continued working for the same purpose for which it all began: Doing what we love most!

At that time I teamed up with a great friend and sound producer, Nano, with whom we worked side by side in post-production countless hours day and night.

With two days to go, I knew it was going to be difficult to make the deadline, the video was missing, and the hours on the clock were passing quickly. Luckily, that same day I saw a post on Insta that the registrations had been postponed for about 10 more days, which was a relief and gave us a break to be able to finish the work.

Finally, there was the waiting period for the selection. I knew that Mimpi is a very well-known festival in the surf and skate world where videographers from all over the world participate, so being among the 45 selected was already talking about a dream.

The day we were selected it was incredible when I saw the post on the festival website I was delirious, it didn't seem true!

What was it like to spend time with Nacho, Julián and Chloe during those days? Tell us something about each of them that is worth telling…
Honestly it was incredible, there was a very positive energy from the beginning, the waves were with us and there was no way it could not be that way, we were all very happy.

All the peaks were activated sending perfect waves, I remember Nacho commenting something like: "How nice, our problem is not knowing where to go to surf", at the moment when we were going from peak to peak and having to decide which one was the most perfect to go surfing and film.

We also celebrated Julian's birthday, the waves came to him as a gift, and we added a birthday party to the party that was already the whole trip. We all had a great time!

I remember one moment when Chloé commented: "These are probably the best waves we'll have all year."

Those moments are almost indescribable, we were all ecstatic with the waves, with filming, with laughing, with eating and with the pleasure of sharing such a moment in a magical place.

What is your next step as an audiovisual producer?
This video motivated me and made me realize even more that I want to do what I love! When we do what we love, work stops being work and becomes something enjoyable that gives you pleasure and fills you with joy.

I think the important thing is to continue enjoying the journey and what I love, like surfing, the sea and photography.

Through this journey I discovered that by being positive, life gives itself to you, and you don't have to expect anything in return, just give love to what you love. Everything comes at the right time.

And now you've decided to start a business with all this. What does it consist of?
The adventure seems to never end, so this year we are looking forward to returning to Pavones.

The idea for this year is to travel in July for a week with Chloe and Nacho to do a Surf & Yoga retreat where they will be the instructors. For this trip we will have eight spots available for surfers of all modalities from longboard to shortboard.

Each surfer will have the chance to share a full week and be guided in surf and yoga sessions by these two great surfers from the world elite. In addition to sharing an incredible week, full of waves and new friendships, just like we did.