Top 10 surfing movies to get you inspired
July 5, 2023Are you imagining yourself surfing the beautiful lefts of Uluwatu? Or maybe you just can’t wait to explore the crisp-blue waters in the Maldives? Well, neither can we. But while that’s not possible, the second-best thing to do is to watch some great surfing movies to get us inspired. There are plenty of movies about surfing out there, some from well-known blockbusters you can find on your Netflix or Viaplay account and some less-known surf movies that can be good as the others.
In this post, we will share our top 10 list of best-surfing movies, and after watching one (or several) of these, you'll hopefully be inspired to go out there and ride some waves yourself.
1
The Endless Summer
In our opinion, one of the most iconic surfing documentaries ever made. Directed by Bruce Brown, starring Californian surfers Mike Hynson and Robert August, we follow their journey across the world in search of the perfect wave and endless summer. The movie was released in the '60s and captures the greatness of surfing in the “early days”. This movie inspired people back then (and still to this day) to travel abroad in search of the perfect wave. It's fun, it's raw and it is inspiring! A must-see on our list of the best surfing movies!
(And if you can´t get enough, we can recommend watching the follow-up; The Endless Summer II)
2
A Deeper Shade of Blue
This is not only a surfing movie but a movie about surfing where you learn about the history and spirit of surfing. The Hawaiian director, Jack McCoy will take you through the roots of the surf culture and equipment. He also shows the evolution of surfing from the early days to what we know surfing as today.
The movie tells the story of what surfing is really about. You will for sure learn a thing or two you didn't know before. Starring top athletes in the surf sport, you will hear their thoughts on surfing, and of course watch, some great waves ridden by amazing surfers. Some of the clips in this movie are so well made that it actually makes you feel like you are surfing the waves.
As Jack McCoy says: surfing is really magic. And we could not agree more!
3
Under An Arctic Sky
Coldwater surfing has gotten more and more popular in the last few years, and watching Under An Arctic Sky will hopefully inspire you to put your wetsuit on and paddle out in the cold water. This movie from 2017 follows a group of surfers to the remote shores of Iceland in search of perfect surf.
Despite lack of daylight, knowing that the worst storm in 25 years will most surely hit the island, and frozen fingers - these surfers manage to score some amazing waves with no one else in the lineup, showing us how amazing cold water surfing can be.
Who wouldn't dream about surfing empty waves under the northern lights? We are for sure intrigued after watching this surf movie!
4
Fishpeople
Fishpeople is telling the stories about six people and their relationship to the ocean. It is not a movie only about surfing, it also follows spearfishers, divers and swimmers. But it is telling the story of how important the ocean is in their lives. It is truly inspiring to see how important the big blue ocean is, and how beautiful it looks both above and underneath the surface. This movie is a Patagonia production and can be found on YouTube.
You might have experienced how beautiful and calming the ocean can be, we've for sure experienced that. Watching this movie makes us want to spend all of our free time surfing and swimming in this important and healing liquid we call the ocean.
5
The View From A Blue Moon
We could not eliminate this surfing movie from our list. We follow one of the world's best male surfers, John John Florence and some of his friends, in search of amazing waves all around the world. Growing up in North Shore Hawaii, these guys are born into surfing and are surfing waves we can only dream about. This movie is mesmerizing from start to finish, with incredible footage capturing stunning waves, a soundtrack that´ll make you download all the music right away, and last but not least, some mind-blowing surfing!
This is, in our opinion, one of the best surf movies ever made. And it sure gets us dreaming about a surf trip in the near future!
6
Surf´s Up
What is an animated comedy doing on this list, you might think? Well, in our opinion, this is a must-see movie for the entire family. Through the movie, we follow the penguin Cody and his journey to become a professional surfer. You will see what challenges he is facing (that is quite similar in the real world), you get to know some of the “typical individuals” found in the surfing community, and last but least, you will for sure have a great laugh. This great animated surfing movie can be found on popular streaming platforms like Viaplay.
7
Chasing Mavericks
This must-see surf movie is based on the inspirational story of surf legend, Jay Moriarty. The movie stars Jay and his dream and journey to surf the massive and world-famous wave, Mavericks. Jay seeks help, and a new friendship begins when his neighbour Frosty agrees to help him get prepared to surf this wave. And it´s not easy preparing for big wave surfing, you need to have the “foundation pillars for surfing”, as Frosty calls it. Jay puts in loads of hours of paddling, threading water and holding his breath underwater before Frosty will let him surf Mavericks.
This movie is inspiring, emotional and from time to time; nerve-wracking. We know it is one of those mainstream movies about surfing out there, but we still think this deserves a place on our list of Top 10 Surfing Movies you should watch.
8
Resurface
You might have seen this Netflix movie on your account, but kept on scrolling to find another movie to watch. If so, you should scroll back and press play because this movie is both inspiring and touching.
This short Netflix documentary tells the story of how the ocean and surfing can have a healing effect on war veterans struggling with physical and mental trauma. Through organizations like Operation Surf and Jimmy Miller Memorial Foundation, they are able to get help to cope with their trauma. Watching the joy and happiness that surfing gives the people in this film is truly inspiring. And it might give you a tear or two in the corner of your eye.
If you have surfed, you have probably felt that feeling of greatness after a surf session. It is a good feeling, and reason enough to surf as much as possible!
9
Morning Of The Earth
Morning of the Earth is another one of the classics from the early '70s, showcasing surfers living their best life searching for perfect waves in Hawaii, Australia and Bali. You get the true surfing vibe by watching these surfers live in peace with nature, building their own homes and surfboards. Rumour has it that this movie was the first time surfers were filmed at the famous left-hander of Uluwatu in Bali, which made Uluwatu and Bali a target for surfers all around the world. Even though Bali has changed since these video clips were filmed, the wave is still there, and just waiting to be surfed.
This movie is ranked as one of the best surf movies in history, and we agree. It is a must-see of the surfing movies out there, especially if you are eager to get some inspiration for your wanderlust.
10
Bethany Hamilton: Unstoppable
If you have the slightest interest in surfing, you might have seen some videos with a female surfer with only one arm or maybe you´ve even heard the name, Bethany Hamilton? She is one of the greatest female surfers through time. In her teens, she was a talented surfer, but after a shark attack, she lost her arm.
This movie takes you through her life as a rising athlete after the attack, how hard she has to work to get what she wants and her entering motherhood - another great movie about surfing on Netflix. Bethany Hamilton has done things others can only dream about. She shows us that if we have a dream, we will achieve it as long as we work hard enough. A true inspiration in the surf community. After watching this movie we are sure you'll feel inspired to train and paddle a little harder next time you are out there!
If you can´t get enough of watching the story of Bethany Hamilton, we would also recommend watching Soul Surfer.
These are only our top 10 out of hundreds of surfing movies you should take your time to watch. And we do hope that you will feel as inspired as us to wax your board and head out there after watching one of these great surfing movies.
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