Surfing icon Craig Anderson and 17-year-old rising star James Kusitino star in “The Illusion of Control,” a new film by Dav Fox. Set primarily at Cloudbreak in Fiji, the project explores generational goofy-vs-regular surfing dynamics, local Fijian surf culture, and serves as a tribute to Kusitino’s late mother.
The Evolution of a Cloudbreak Portrait
Goofy versus regular is a time-tested surf media device, but when it comes to stylists Craig Anderson and James Kusitino, the conversation takes on a different aesthetic. While surf media has seen no shortage of Fiji content recently, this FORMER joint hits different.
It’s that goofy-vs-regular tension that sits at the heart of the project, captured by director Dav Fox. What began as a focused profile on 17-year-old Kusitino’s rapid rise to surf stardom evolved into something considerably more intricate. The finished cut delivers a multifaceted portrait of Cloudbreak, the local community surrounding it, and a new generation of Fijian surfers making their presence felt at one of the planet’s most iconic reef breaks.
Generational Symmetry and the FORMER Aesthetic
At the center of the visual narrative are Kusitino and Anderson. Two surfers, separated by generations and vastly different backgrounds, share an unmistakable, fluid approach to wave riding. Fans of progressive surf cinema will recall how their back-to-back sections in “Defect” became one of the industry’s most talked-about moments.
Here, Fox expands that pairing into an unvarnished look at the athletes themselves and the geography that brings them together. But the scope stretches far beyond a standard dual-surfer profile. While there is plenty of the high-performance rail-work and barrel-riding audiences expect from a premium release, “The Illusion of Control” refuses to treat the ocean merely as a backdrop.
| Film Element | Primary Focus | Key Contributors |
|---|---|---|
| Production | Collaborative Project | Dav Fox, Craig Anderson |
| Primary Location | Cloudbreak, Fiji | Local community & international stylists |
| Central Subjects | Generational Surf Dynamics | Craig Anderson, James Kusitino |
Honoring Fijian Surf Culture and Community
Fox gives ample space to the voices and characters that define the local identity of Fiji’s surf ecosystem. The cast of local standouts featured in the runtime includes Teo Dengei, Che Slatter, Jamesa Kunabutu, Semi Kaitabu, and Watisoni Dengei Kuralagi, among others.
That localized inclusion is precisely what makes the film land. Cloudbreak isn’t simply a wave to be conquered; it is a community, a culture, and a living piece of Fijian surfing history. Fox’s camera gets inside that world, capturing the humor, chaos, adventure, and raw talent of the crew.
Most importantly, the film stands as a fitting tribute to Kusitino’s mother, Ann Kelereani Koroi, who passed away on September 1, 2026. Ultimately, “The Illusion of Control” feels like considerably more than another routine Cloudbreak edit. It serves as a stark reminder that no matter how much surfers try to command the narrative around a wave, the ocean—and the people who live alongside it—usually have the final say.
