film Archives - New Zealand Surf Journal

Watch: Best Surf Of My Life With Jordy Smith

Keo MorrisonApr 17, 2026April 17, 20260

When it is Jordy Smith claiming the best surf of his life, it’s hard to look away. Watch Jordy in the session of his life at his home break in Durban, South Africa. The video highlights how rare and special these conditions are, with Jordy surfing at an extremely high...

Watch: One Of A Kind

Keo MorrisonApr 7, 2026April 17, 20260

A glimpse into the life of Hawaiian surfer Matt Meola as he shares his hunting, fishing and surfing experiences around his home in Maui and surfing throughout the world. One of the world’s leading freesurfers, Matt is multi-talented, and in this film he brings his hunting and fishing skills to...

Watch: Salt In Their Veins

Derek MorrisonMar 24, 2026April 7, 20260

Award-winning filmmaker Rita Hencke brings us into the lives of the Bajo people of Southeast Asia, offering an insight into their strong bond with the sea and the challenges small-scale fishing communities face. The Bajo people of Southeast Asia have a deep connection with the marine environment. As descendants of...

Watch: Rising Tide

Derek MorrisonMay 19, 20250

In the footsteps of some true greats, a new generation is emerging from the deep south. This film follows 2025 National Champion Alexis Owen, Lewis Murphy and Keo Morrison and friends around some of their favourite waves. The Otago coastline is renowned for producing rippers, like Graham Carse, the Barton...

Watch: Deadman’s 2025: Chaos & Carnage

Derek MorrisonApr 4, 20250

Thrills and Spillz bring us Chapter 1 – the first installment of Deadman’s Rising – capturing the giant April 1, 2025 swell that saw monster sets sweep through Sydney’s beaches. Deadman’s is one of the most insane slab breaks in Australia and must be seen to be believed. Footage was...

Watch: Desert Dogs

Derek MorrisonAug 15, 2024August 15, 20240

Desert Dogs is a new film by George Syme and Tommy Butland. It follows their journey on a self-funded surf trip to the edge of the desert and beyond. The pairing of George and Tom in this collaborative surfer-filmmaker style is breaking new ground for New Zealand surf filmmaking. In...

Film Review: The War On Style

Taira BlakelyAug 5, 2024August 5, 20240

Like it or not, we are living in a world that has waged a war on style. Hank Bilous is deep in the thick of it, aiming to strike the right balance between technical skill and self expression. The professional freeskier, turned surfer, turned nurse explores and challenges these dynamics...

Watch: Place Of Thorns

Derek MorrisonAug 1, 20240

Place of Thorns tells the story of one of the world’s most incredible waves, Puerto Escondido, from its discovery by early surfers when it was just a small coffee port in Mexico, to the bustling tourist Mecca it has become today. After five decades, Puerto continues to draw surfers from...

Watch: The Impossible Wave

Taira BlakelyJul 19, 2024July 25, 20240

Thirty years ago, ISA president Fernando Aguerre dreamed that surfing might one day be included in the Olympic Games. No one could have predicted how challenging that pursuit would be. The Impossible Wave follows Fernando Aguerre’s improbable mission to push surfing into the Olympic spotlight. After 27 years and 12,000 hours...

Film Review: The Yin & Yang Of Gerry Lopez

Isaac ChadwickNov 15, 2022November 15, 20220

Combining the talents of filmmaker Stacy Peralta, with the inimitable Gerry Lopez is a recipe for success. The Yin & Yang of Gerry Lopez explores the life of one of the most influential surfers and surfboard shapers of all time. Gerry is presented as an entrepreneur, a family man, a...