It's lights, camera, action tonight for the surfing community as Mount Maunganui's big screen showcases surfing's best cinematography with the O'Neill Aotearoa Surf Film Festival in town.

Opening at Bay City Cinemas Mount Maunganui tonight, the three-night festival includes feature-length and short films showcasing a selection of international and Kiwi creations.

Mount Maunganui's big screen is showcasing surfing's best cinematography with the O'Neill Aotearoa Surf Film Festival in town tonight.

In its second year, the festival is the first dedicated surf film competition in the country showcasing a celebration of surf cinema and the art of wave riding in New Zealand.

'We are very excited for the second year of the festival, with some incredible films in this year's line up,” says event director Nick Stevenson.

'Our screening panel worked through over 35 submissions to come through with three nights of compelling surf cinema that we are sure will excite everyone.”

And not resting on the inaugural festival's success, organisers are keen to produce a night under the stars, holding a free outdoor screening at Mount Drury Reserve of the classic surf film ‘The Endless Summer'.

Held on Sunday at 8.30pm, a blow up big screen will be set up for friends and families, with Little Big Market food vendors on site also – marking the 50th anniversary since the film's release in 1964.

'I think with the outdoor screening we want to make it accessible for people to see what the festival is all about. I think it opens it up to a lot of people that might be on the edge to think about it.”

Running in true Kiwi style, the festival will then hit the road with a selection of the award-winning films for a six-week coastal tour of New Zealand's beach towns.

In total there are 18 films being screened through the festival, with six feature films covering all parts of the globe including Chile, Venezuela and the United Kingdom.

Nick says his highlight is being committed to keeping the main festival in Mount Maunganui, a place where everyone is associated with the beach culture and surfing.

'For us we couldn't think of a better host for the festival. It's the surfing capital of New Zealand and we want to make sure we keep it here.”

Tickets and programming details for the O'Neill Aotearoa Surf Film Festival are available online at www.asff.co.nz and limited door sales will be available tonight.