2025
Best FEATURE FILM
The Big Sea
Directors: Lewis Arnold (UK) & Chris Nelson (UK)
This feature film exposes surfing’s dirty secret — the toxic legacy of neoprene wetsuits and their link to Cancer Alley. Through surfers and filmmakers Lewis Arnold and Chris Nelson, this powerful documentary unpacks environmental racism, greenwashing, and corporate responsibility, challenging the surf industry to lead the shift toward safer alternatives. A wake-up call for ocean lovers everywhere.
Best cinematography
Creatures of Habit
Director: Nate Laverty (CAN)
Creatures of Habit takes us from Canada to Iceland, where a group of surfers trade comfort for challenge, chasing waves in remote, unpredictable places. With phenomenal music and striking visuals, the film explores what happens when we step beyond routine and into the unknown — embracing cold, uncertainty, and the wild freedom that comes with pushing past limits.
Best Mid-Length Film
Dreading South
Director: Mat Ireland (AUS)
A film about a fair weather surfer, Wispy, battling the cold waters of New Zealand’s South Island.
Best short SHORT film
Let me live
Director: Keith Malloy (USA)
As a surfing outsider, British big wave surfer Tom Lowe paves his own path to surfing’s highest level through pure grit, determination, and a little help from his friends. Cutting his teeth in Ireland and pioneering unknown waves with a small group of surfers, Tom found meaning in pushing himself to the limit.
