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Thank You for an Incredible Sold-Out Premiere!
Wow—what an unforgettable night! From the bottom of our hearts, we want to thank each and every one of you who showed up to our sold-out premiere of Paddle Out. Seeing the theater packed with so much love, energy, and excitement was truly overwhelming. Your support means everything to us, and we couldn’t be more grateful to share this journey with you.
This premiere was just the beginning! We are thrilled to announce our next private screenings in Monterey and Santa Cruz, and we’d love for you to be part of them. Stay tuned for dates and details—be sure to check our website and subscribe for the latest updates on our screenings, behind-the-scenes moments, and everything else on this exciting ride.
Thank you again for making our premiere such a huge success. We can’t wait to see you at the next screening!
With gratitude,
Sebi & the Paddle Out Team
REVIEWS
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Some stories remind us of the magic woven into everyday life—the small miracles, the unexpected friendships, and the moments of courage that shine through even in the darkest times. Paddle Out is one of those stories.
This inspiring and uplifting feature documentary follows the journey of Melissa, a 33-year-old surfer with Cystic Fibrosis, who refused to let anything—not even the need for an oxygen tank—keep her from the waves. What began as a simple filming project turned into an extraordinary friendship and a powerful lesson in resilience, joy, and the art of living fully.
This film will uplift and inspire you, filling your heart with hope and reminding you that even in the face of adversity, life has a way of surprising us with its magic.
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MEET THE TEAM
MELISSA PAPPAGEORGAS
PRODUCER | DIRECTOR
Melissa, a lifelong resident of the central coast, earned her degree in Sociology from USC in 2007. With a heart for volunteering, she spent much of her time helping those in need. She worked as a mentor and counselor at The Painted Turtle, a camp for children with serious medical conditions, briefly volunteered with The Make a Wish Foundation, and primarily dedicated her time to The Living Breath Foundation, a non-profit started by her parents to support individuals with cystic fibrosis and their families. Melissa organized and hosted events such as “In a Garden of 65 Roses” and “Bay for Breath Crossing” to raise funds for the foundation. After receiving a double lung transplant, Melissa was grateful for her second chance at life and was determined to make the most of it. She pushed herself to participate in activities she previously couldn’t, such as surfing, sprint triathlons, camping, and RV road trips with her husband. Her story of resilience and perseverance inspired her to share her experiences with others, in the hope of inspiring them to never give up on their dreams.
SEBI LEE
PRODUCER | DIRECTOR | WRITER
Sebi an Emmy® Award winner, draws her artistic inspiration and energy from her homeland of South Korea. Despite opposition from her family, Sebi followed her passion for storytelling and moved to the United States at the age of 21 to study film. Since 1999, Sebi has written, directed, and produced various forms of media, including documentaries, short stories, news segments, commercials, and music videos. Her documentaries have been featured on national PBS. Sebi has also produced award-winning art shows and hundreds of short stories for Arizona Public Media, the PBS affiliate in Tucson, Arizona. Sebi has been actively involved with the National Association of Latino Independent Producers (NALIP) in Los Angeles since 2002, where she has contributed as a consultant, producer, program coordinator, mentor, and lecturer.
ANDREW SIEGMAN
PRODUCER
Andrew is an Emmy® Award winning documentary filmmaker, and he has contributed to two Peabody Award winning productions. He has had films debut at the Toronto Film Festival, the Tribeca Film Festival and the Sundance film festival. In 2019 Andrew found himself in the middle of the biggest scandal in international sport history when he co-produced ICARUS, the Academy Award winning documentary that exposed the secret Russian doping program, which directly led to the years long Russian Olympic ban. Andrew was once selected to be a judge at the famous Coney Island hotdog eating contest where he was a witness to an historic world record.
JIMMY COHEN
EDITOR | WRITER
Jimmy is a director and editor from Mexico City. He graduated with honors from CENTRO University and took editing courses in NYU and ECAM . His feature debut, The Third Path, participated at Cinelatino Toulouse, La Habana and other festivals. His second film, Omar y Gloria, premiered at the Play-Doc Festival in Spain and was screened in more than 20 festival worldwide. As an editor he has worked in a variety of projects from documentary to fiction with films like: Alchemy of the Spirit, King of the Party, Bloody Famous (TV show) , documentaries like Kurosawa’s Grave, Paraiso perdido, a two episode series for Nat Geo and other projects like music videos and video art . In the field of music he co-created Zehel, an experimental music project that lasted 10 years playing mostly in Mexico City and touring in Puerto Rico and New York. At the moment he is working as a producer in his psytrance project called Grushenko.
EDY LAN
MUSIC DIRECTOR
Edy born in Mexico and based in the US, is an award-winning composer with over 14 years of experience in film, TV, and advertising music. His emotionally resonant and versatile scores have earned international recognition, including Hollywood Music in Media Awards nominations and praise from industry icons like Guillermo Del Toro. With a strong foundation in classical music and a passion for innovation, Edy creates memorable compositions that bring stories to life through emotion and texture. Whether in a movie, an advertising campaign, or a song he is arranging, his emphasis is always on what he considers the core of art and human experience: storytelling and emotion.
KRISTIAN DANE LAWING, SOC
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY
Kristian Dane Lawing is an Emmy-nominated cinematographer with award-winning international expertise in both narrative and documentary storytelling. He has worked for a diversity of clients from National Geographic, Discovery, CNN, BBC, and Sky to SyFy, Hulu, HBO, Tubi, and Lionsgate. He lensed the Oscar Short-listed documentary “Quest for Honor” in wartime Iraq. Is an Active Member of the Society of Camera Operators and IATSE Local 600 as well as an accomplished underwater cinematographer and Divemaster. He has lectured on cinematography at CalArts, NYFA and SVA.
LORI & CHRIS PAPPAGEORGAS
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS
Chris and Lori, high school sweethearts, married in 1976. Lori became a dental assistant and has remained in the field for 48 years. Chris earned a B.A. in physical education and worked as a carpenter for 45 years before retiring in 2020.
They have two children both diagnosed with cystic fibrosis in 2000. Witnessing the challenges of CF firsthand, Chris and Lori founded the Living Breath Foundation in 2008. The organization provides support for transplants, medications, equipment, financial aid, scholarships, food, travel, and hospital care packages. By December 2022, they had raised and distributed over $3.5 million to the CF community.
Beyond his work with LBF, Chris has volunteered for over 40 years on various projects at Monterey Peninsula College’s athletic facilities, including bleachers and stadium seating for the baseball and football fields.
TARY MCCULLOUGH
ASSISTANT EDITOR | DIGITAL MEDIA SPECIALIST
With over 15 years of experience in post-production, advertising, and marketing, Tary McCullough serves as an assistant editor, print and graphic designer. Tary also played a key role in the "Paddle Out" project by designing the film poster and editing the digital video and photo content for the "Paddle Out" digital media campaign. He also designed and created the website that serves as the central hub for all "Paddle Out" media content.
BEN LOPEZ
CO-PRODUCER
Ben Lopez is an established industry consultant and producer dedicated to expanding opportunities for Latine and BIPoC communities in entertainment and media. Born in Mexico City, raised in Tucson, and based in Los Angeles, his career spans film festivals, incubators, and industry leadership. As former head of NALIP, he played a key role in advancing Latino representation in Hollywood and beyond. Ben co-produced the feature documentary Paddle Out and has consulted on major projects, including Disney’s Encanto and Steven Spielberg's West Side Story. He has spoken at top festivals and markets such as Cannes Lions, Sundance, SXSW, and Berlinale, with his work featured in Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, The New York Times, and more. With over two decades of experience, Ben has built a reputation as a trusted advisor who bridges creative excellence with cultural integrity, helping clients elevate their stories while achieving strategic business goals. As the founder of L21 Consulting, he continues to empower diverse voices through partnerships like McDonald’s Spotlight Dorado, amplifying Latino storytelling across the industry.
DIRECTOR'S STATEMENT
This film is the fulfillment of a promise I made to a friend on the day she died.
I met Melissa in 2017 when she was seeking surfing footage for a hospital campaign. A 33-year-old surfer with Cystic Fibrosis, Melissa wanted to document her journey of surfing with an oxygen tank—a powerful symbol of her resilience. Our friendship quickly deepened, and I spent the next year filming her surfing adventures, capturing her determination and joy. But as she reached her dream of tandem surfing, her health declined, and she was placed on the list for a second lung transplant.
In December 2018, Melissa’s condition took a sudden turn. At her request, I filmed her final 12 hours to help raise awareness for organ donation. Her passing left me devastated, and the project was paused indefinitely. Two years later, I returned to the footage. As I watched Melissa’s vibrant spirit come to life on screen, I remembered the promise I had made—to finish her film.
Through eight years of her video diaries, journals, and photographs, I discovered the story she left behind. This documentary is both a personal tribute and a universal message about courage, joy, and living fully—even in the face of unimaginable challenges.
Where to watch
We are beyond excited to announce the world premiere of Paddle Out at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival in 2025!
📅 Screening Dates & Times:
🎬 February 13th 2025 | 12:00 PM - Riviera Theatre
2044 Alameda Padre Serra, Santa Barbara
🎬 February 14th 2025 | 3:10 PM - Film Center Aud. #5
916 State St, Santa Barbara
