Program 2025
Heres what to expect
An epic line-up of 16 international surf culture films, selected from 44 submissions from all over the world.
Each night you’ll see a different selection of short, mid-length, and feature films, with filmmaker Q&As guided by the legendary Tim Baker. Get ready for inspiring stories, cinematic beauty, and a whole lot of surf stoke.
Tickets are for 1 session. Each evening session will showcase a combination of short and mid-length films and a feature film.
Each session will start with a Live band or DJ at 6pm, and the film show will commence at 6.30pm. NO LENGTHY CINEMA ADVERTISING precedes the screening, we get straight into it!
We aim to finish the night by 9.30-9.45pm.
There is no seat selection on purchase of your ticket, come early and select your own best seat!
Cinema Bar: Open all night and serves beer, wine and more. You are welcome to take your drink into the cinema with you.
Every night includes an intermission—perfect for a quick bathroom break or a visit to the bar for another drink
Sunday 22 June – AFTER PARTY + CLOSING CELEBRATION
🎉 From 2pm – 6pm
Join us for a laid-back afternoon celebration of surf culture with live music, surf culture & filmmakers forums, good vibes and the official Awards Presentation.
Catch up with filmmakers, judges, and surf community icons as we wrap the festival with stories and good laughs.
Surf Filmmakers Forum: 2pm - 3pm
Surf Culture Forum: 3.15pm - 4.15pm
Music by Mario
Award Celebration 4.30pm
The Grand Raffle Draw 5.30pm
the films
thursday 19th June
Flowing Wood - Global Premiere
Director: Joel Bryant
Category: Short Film
Flowing Wood invites you into the world of Dean — a solo traveler, surfer, and artist from Northwest Australia — as he transforms weathered wood and ocean memories into breathtaking art. After the loss of a close friend, he finds healing through surfing, creativity, and connection to nature. A raw, moving story of resilience, solitude, and beauty found in unexpected places.
Keep On Keeping On - AU Premiere
Director: Tom Bowman
Category: Short Film
At 73, surfing legend Eric Davies is still chasing waves with the same fire he had decades ago. This inspiring short film follows his journey through championship wins, personal battles — including a fight with cancer — and an unshakable love for the ocean. A powerful story of resilience, passion, and proving that age is no limit when you live for what you love.
A Letter From Antarctica - AU Premiere
Director: Ben Herrgott
Category: Mid-Length Film
Set against the raw beauty of Antarctica, this film follows a crew of surfers from around the world chasing waves in one of the most remote places on Earth. Sailing across the infamous Drake Passage, they find friendship, adventure, and awe — and a sobering reminder of nature’s power and the urgent impact of climate change.
intermission
Breaks - AU Premiere
Director: Christina Yianni
Category: Short Film
Breaks captures the raw, unfiltered journey of parasurfer Hannah Dines, a Team England Paralympian living with cerebral palsy and PSC, as she takes on the World Parasurfing Championships. From Wales to California, the film follows her fight for surf, equity, and inclusion — at a pivotal time for the sport’s push toward the 2028 Paralympics.
Ceibo
Directors: Lucy Small and Maddie Meddings
Category: Feature Film
Ceibo follows surfers and storytellers Pacha Light and Lucy Small on a powerful journey across Ecuador, learning from women on the frontlines of climate, land, and ocean justice. From the Andes to the Amazon and the Galapagos, they explore deep connections to place, the cost of consumption, and what it means to truly coexist with nature. With stunning surf scenes woven throughout, the film is also a personal journey for Pacha as she reconnects with her Ecuadorian roots. A moving call to action — and a celebration of those protecting our planet from the ground up.
friday 20th June
Float - AU Premiere
Director: Adam Warmington
Category: Short Film
A unique surf story of courage, adversity, joy and the power of ocean connection.
Let Me Live
Director: Keith Molloy
Category: Short Film
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.
Dreading South
Director: Matt Ireland
Category: Mid-Length Film
A film about a fair weather surfer, Wispy, battling the cold waters of New Zealand’s South Island.
The Big Sea
Director: Lewis Arnold
Category: Feature Film
The Big Sea dives deep into surfing’s dirty secret — the toxic truth behind neoprene wetsuits and their link to Cancer Alley in the U.S. South. Framed through the eyes of surfers and filmmakers Lewis Arnold and Chris Nelson, this powerful documentary uncovers the dark side of a $10 billion industry built on clean, green image. Exploring environmental racism, corporate greenwashing, and social justice, it challenges the surf world to take responsibility and lead the shift toward safer, sustainable alternatives. A wake-up call for ocean lovers everywhere — because the true cost of the perfect wave might be far too high.
Saturday 21st June
afternoon session 3pm - 4:30pm
Stoker Machine
Director: Darieus Legg
Category: Short Film
When surfer Chad Campbell finds a mysterious retro board in Hawaii, it sparks a search that leads to a California surf legend known as “Stoker.” Blending vibrant animation with soulful surf footage, Stoker Machine is a whimsical short that dives into surf folklore, celebrates the joy of the ride, and captures the magic of true stoke.
Fragment of a Half Life - QLD Premiere
Director: Johnny Abegg
Category: Mid-Length Film
Fragments of a Half Life is an intimate, abstract exploration of grief by filmmaker Johnny Abegg. Following the death of his father, Johnny surrenders to the depths of loss, discovering that allowing grief to flow brings him closer to life. With powerful ocean imagery, a hauntingly beautiful soundtrack, and his mother’s reflections, the film delves into the complexities of father-son relationships and unspoken histories. Visually poetic and emotionally raw, it’s a meditation on memory, pain, and healing — where presence is found in absence, and the sea becomes a mirror for the heart.
Followed by a PANEL DISCUSSION & Audience Q&A: Grief and the Healing Power of Water
Moderator: Margie Wegener
Panelists: Johnny Abegg and guests.
Saturday 21st June
closing night
Where The Girls Are - GLOBAL Premiere
Director: Zion Poy, Lukas Schulz
Category: GromShorts
Noosa local, 17 year old filmmaker Zion Poy captures the inspiring story of Noosa local Lynette Clemitson — one of Australia’s first female longboard surfers. Now in her 70s, Lynette reflects on a lifetime of surfing, breaking barriers, and living with unstoppable spirit in this heartfelt short documentary.
Heirloom - GLOBAL Premiere
Director: Hunter James Williams
Category: GromShorts
When a young surfer inherits an old board, it sparks a journey back to surfing’s roots. This heartfelt short celebrates the spirit of discovery, the wisdom of tradition, and the timeless connection between surfer and sea — reminding us that sometimes the best adventures begin by looking back.
NO_ WAY
Director: Harrison Roach
Category: Mid-Length Film
No Way is more than a surf film — it’s the antithesis of Endless Summer. Filmed in the Arctic by cinematographer Jake Burghart (VICE), and with Harrison Roach as Director, this stunning film captures the raw, unfiltered magic of nature and the fearless spirit of surfers, Harrison Roach, Catalina Hotz, Nate Zoller and McKenzie Bowden. It’s a tribute to wild places, bold journeys, and finding beauty in the unexpected. A celebration of going beyond comfort zones — into cold, remote, and awe-inspiring surf.
We The Surfers
Director: Arthur Bourbon
Category: Feature Film
In a small coastal village in Liberia, a country shaped by decades of civil war, a group of young surfers are using the power of community and the ocean to forge a new future. Through the creation of a local surf club, they’re reclaiming their coastline, rewriting their story, and riding toward hope, resilience, and change.
Creatures of Habit - QLD Premiere
Director: Nate Laverty
Category: Mid-Length Film
Creatures of Habit takes us fromCanada 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.
