After nearly 30 years as a professional wave-rider, Mike Stewart still has the fire to compete.

That's why, at age 45, he is still ranked among the top 10 bodyboarders in the world, and is a contender at every bodysurfing contest he enters.

Stewart's passion — and competitive longevity — is captured in a one-hour movie titled "Fire." A public screening on O'ahu is scheduled for tonight at Dave & Buster's in the Ward Entertainment Center.

The movie will be shown twice — at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. Admission is $10 and is open to all ages.

"It's a cross between an art film, a surf film and something more spiritual," Stewart said. "It's not a Mike Stewart documentary, and it's not your typical surf vanity piece. It's something different we're taking a chance with. It's more artistic than what you'd expect for a surf movie."

Stewart and filmmaker Scotty Carter took more than 10 years to produce the movie and DVD.

"It would have been easy for us to throw a surf movie together years ago," Stewart said. "But this was a more complicated and ambitious project. We wanted to get it right. Some of the water imagery we collected took years and years of trying."

Some of the unique perspectives in the film include ridiculously long barrel rides — from inside the barrel. Stewart was able to capture that feeling on film by holding a camera in one hand and controlling his bodyboard with the other hand.

"Believe it or not, we didn't lose any cameras," he said. "That was good."

Stewart said he is "a vehicle" for several messages in the movie, including "overcoming your fears, staying true to your heart."

Stewart, who was raised in Kailua, Kona, is considered the greatest competitor in the sport of bodyboarding. He owns a record nine world championships, and has won the prestigious Pipeline Pro a record 11 times.

Stewart is scheduled to attend tonight's screenings, which will include a raffle for prizes from T&C Surf and Mike Stewart Science Bodyboards.

The Maui premiere of the movie is scheduled for tomorrow at the Historic Iao Theater at 6:45 p.m. Admission is $10.

Stewart is expected to enter the Turbo Bodyboards Pipeline Pro next month at the Banzai Pipeline. It will be the first contest on the International Bodyboarding Association 2009 world tour.

"I'm still training hard," Stewart said. "I still want to chase another world title."

BACKDOOR SHOOTOUT POSTPONED UNTIL 2010

Due to a lack of quality conditions, the 7th annual Da Hui Backdoor Shootout was not able to run any heats last week at the Banzai Pipeline.

The permit for the event ended last weekend, so it is postponed until next year.

Surfers who were scheduled to compete included Jamie O'Brien, Bruce Irons, Fred Patacchia Jr. and Makuakai Rothman.

PIPELINE PRO HOLDING PERIOD STARTS MONDAY

The Pipeline Pro men's surfing contest will run on the three days when conditions are best at the Banzai Pipeline between Monday and Feb. 6.

Many of Hawai'i's so-called "Pipeline specialists" are expected to enter the contest, including Jamie O'Brien, Marcus Hickman, Danny Fuller and Kalani Chapman.

The top performers in the contest will earn invitations to the 2009 Billabong Pipeline Masters in December.

Due to a lack of sponsorship, this year's Pipeline Pro will not offer points for the ASP's World Qualifying Series.