Surf films have always been about more than what happens in the water. They’re about the people, places and communities that make surfing what it is. And while the way we watch surf content has changed dramatically over the past several decades, the power of a great surf film, and the experience of watching it with a room full of surfers, hasn’t gone anywhere.
That’s the idea behind a new partnership between SURFER and the Dana Point Film Festival, which will bring together two organizations with deep ties to surf culture and a shared commitment to telling the stories behind the sport.
The collaboration will see the Dana Point Film Festival continue to showcase established and emerging filmmakers exploring surfing, the ocean and the people connected to both. SURFER TV will also present a special showcase of selected projects during the festival, creating a connection between the big-screen experience and an ongoing platform for surf storytelling.
The partnership arrives at a time when surf content is more accessible than ever. Instagram, TikTok and YouTube have transformed how surfers discover waves, watch clips and follow their favorite athletes. But the quick-hit nature of social media can leave little room for the deeper stories behind the action.
Surf filmmaking has long offered something different. From the early days of Bruce Brown’s groundbreaking films to the independent projects that continue to document surfing’s farthest reaches, the genre has created a shared language for surfers around the world. Screenings have traditionally served as gathering places, bringing communities together to celebrate the people and experiences that define their relationship with the ocean.
More than six decades after surf films helped establish that tradition, SURFER and DPFF see an opportunity to carry it forward for a new generation. For the Dana Point Film Festival, the partnership also represents a homecoming of sorts. Dana Point holds a special place in surf media history as the birthplace of SURFER, founded by John Severson in 1960. That legacy remains an important part of the coastal community’s identity and the festival’s mission.
“My relationship with SURFER goes back to my early grom days, when my friends and I devoured every issue, then headed to Strands and Salt Creek to try everything we’d learned,” said Lloyd Bryan Molander, founder and managing director of the Dana Point Film Festival. “It was the only required reading of our youth.”
Molander added that Severson’s legacy remains woven into the fabric of Dana Point, noting that former SURFER publisher Norb Garrett serves on the festival’s board. The new collaboration with Howard and the SURFER team, he said, brings that history full circle.
“Together, we’re keeping the stoke alive for a new generation,” Molander said.
Founded in 2023, the Dana Point Film Festival has established surf, ocean and marine storytelling as the centerpiece of its programming, bringing together domestic and international filmmakers for screenings, conversations and special events.
The partnership will debut during the festival’s fourth annual edition, running October 29 through November 1 in Dana Point, California. The four-day event will feature films and programming focused on surfing, the ocean and marine environments.
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