Big Wave

The Beach Boys - California Surfin

January 2004 •English

Baldiga: Unlocked Heart

November 2024 •German

Using diary excerpts, photographs and memories from companions, the film paints the portrait of the artist Jürgen Baldiga who sensitively and authentically captured the West Berlin queer scene of the 1980s and early 1990s with his camera.

Sheila, toutes ces vies-là

December 2022 •French

The portrait of a woman who remembers. Sheila tells the story of Sheila, without concessions or evasions. Her childhood, her parents, her beginnings, the rumors, her love affairs, her marriage, her son, her successes, her farewells, her return, her mourning. The journey of an extraordinary popular icon who never stopped fighting. The courage of an artist who never gives up. "Sheila, toutes ces vies-là" is also a journey through time. 60 years of pop music, punctuated by numerous archives, personal films, timeless hits and illustrations by Marc-Antoine Coulon. But also 60 years of fashion, through a legendary wardrobe (her TV show outfits) that Sheila invites us to rediscover.

Sharks of Hawaii

April 2021 •English

Nearly 40 shark species live in the warm waters of Hawaii's volcanic islands, including white tip reef sharks, Galapagos sharks and tiger sharks.

Zen and Zero

November 2006 •English

A surf trip from L.A. to Costa Rica is a classic free ride, executed by generations of surfers since the 1960's. When five landlocked Austrians get on that very road, it becomes a different thing: a comedy, a philosophical diversion, an investigation of the myth of the surfer dude itself.

The Rain Follows The Forest

January 2012 •English

Catch Jason Scott Lee in “The Rain Follows The Forest” as he sets out on a journey to learn about sustainable life in our island home. Through interesting conversations, he learns about Hawaiʻi’s fragile fresh water supply and discovers connections to our upland forest environment.

The Endless Summer

June 1966 •English

Bruce Brown's The Endless Summer is one of the first and most influential surf movies of all time. The film documents American surfers Mike Hynson and Robert August as they travel the world during California’s winter (which, back in 1965 was off-season for surfing) in search of the perfect wave and ultimately, an endless summer.

Freddie Mercury: The Final Act

April 2022 •English

The story of the extraordinary final chapter of Freddie Mercury’s life and how, after his death from AIDS, Queen staged one of the biggest concerts in history, the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert at Wembley Stadium, to celebrate his life and challenge the prejudices around HIV/AIDS. For the first time, Freddie's story is told alongside the experiences of those who tested positive for HIV and lost loved ones during the same period. Medical practitioners, survivors, and human rights campaigners recount the intensity of living through the AIDS pandemic and the moral panic it brought about.

Riding Giants

July 2004 •English

Riding Giants is story about big wave surfers who have become heroes and legends in their sport. Directed by the skateboard guru Stacy Peralta.

When Liberty Burns

March 2020 •English

An in-depth analysis on the 40th Anniversary of the life and untimely death of Arthur Lee McDuffie at the hands of Miami Dade police officers.

Break Free - Two People. Two Years. One Dream

March 2019 •German

When Lena and Ulli start the engine of their old Land Rover, Lady Terés, they have a plan: to drive from Hamburg to South Africa in six months. What they don't know yet is that they won't ever get there. Two totally different characters, jammed together in two square meters of space for almost two years, they experience what it really means to travel: leaving your comfort zone for good.

Down the Barrel

September 2007 •English

The essence of surfing is an elusive ideal. Part sport, part state-of-mind; an avenue for self-expression, a metaphor for freedom; a ritual, a competitive event, a dangerous journey, a dance. Nature supplies the power, and with the proper balance of respect and resistance, we enjoy the ride. From the North Shore of Oahu, to the end of the road in Tahiti. From Australia to California, from Florida to France, the world's greatest surfers share their insights, and show us how - and why -- it's done. Their skill, and the thrill of the experience, are captured as never before in this documentary. What is the secret to surfing's global appeal? The answer is revealed by Florida's Kelly Slater, California's Rob Machado, Hawaii's Kalani Robb and Australia's Joel Parkinson, through their own voices, in DOWN THE BARREL. The sport of Surfing is displayed for what it is. WITHOUT SCRIPT. WITHOUT ANIMATION. WITHOUT HYPE.

Compassing

August 2013 •English

No one knows Just Passing Through like Cyrus Sutton. And in the latest chapter of Cy's adventures, he's customized his van for experiencing life on the road. Through cutting, sanding, welding, and staining, he's transformed his old van into a unique camper that's been helping him traverse the Western side of North America to seek out good waves and good people. Reef is proud to partner with Cy on his new project, "Compassing," a film chronicling his recent van travels.

To Be Frank

April 2023 •English

Frank Paine, is a 73-year-old South Bay icon and humble local legend whose life orbits around a two-block stretch of beach. His unforgettable mustache and magnetic spirit are what most first notice, but Frank’s layers expose a depth that might answer some questions that surfers continually ask themselves. Surfing, which, for some, becomes lost in isolation, is made whole again with Frank.

Mudflat

August 1980 •English

Years ago, artists would walk around the muck at the edge of the San Francisco Bay in Emeryville, and build loads of sculptures out there on the flats, created from driftwood and found objects that drivers would enjoy as they motored south on the old Highway 17 (known in numerous radio ads as 'Highway 17, The Nimitz'). Grabbing material off someone else’s work was considered fair game and part of the fun, and contributed a kinetic dynamic to the ongoing display. Now the place is a park, and the sculptures are gone, but you can see what it used to be like in this neat and funny documentary by Ric Reynolds, augmented by Erich Seibert’s wonderful musique-concrète/time-lapse sequences. The flashback circus sequence includes Scott Beach and Bill Irwin. Sculptors interviewed include Walt Zucker, Tony Puccio, Robert Sommer, Ron & Mary Bradden, and Bob Kaminsky.

Ultimate Sessions

January 2006 •English

A rare nexus of optimal swell, marquee surfers and skilled, dedicated surf cinematographers created a vast library of surfing's greatest moments over the last three decades.

The Sand Island Story

January 1981 •English

This short documentary chronicles a four-month period between 1979 and 1980 when residents of Hawaii's Sand Island "squatter" community attempted to resist eviction from the Honolulu shoreline - resulting in displacement, arrests, and the destruction of a community.

The Heart & The Sea

December 2012 •English

Over three years in the making, 'The Heart & The Sea' explores the joy that lies at the very centre of a surfing life: family, friends & a shared intimacy with the sea.

Autosuficientes

July 2016 •Spanish

Documentary about the legendary Spanish Post-Punk band Paralis Permanente. A band that has gained a world wide cult following for their unique sound, while only having released one album. The album is highly regarded as the record that spawned the spanish darkwave sound known as "onda siniestra".

XXL NAZARE: Scooby Facing His Biggest Fears | RISK VS REWARD

July 2021 •Portuguese

Brazil’s Pedro ‘Scooby’ Vianna risks everything the moment he hits the water at Nazaré. But what is everything? Risk vs Reward explores Scooby’s upbringing in Brazil and how surfing paved the way for a new life for himself and his family. Becoming a major figure in the world of big wave surfing, Scooby reflects on a nearly life-changing accident at Nazare and what it took to face and overcome his fears.