Only for BeachGrit!
If there’s one thing we can all agree upon, it is that surf filmmaking is as important now as it ever was. As vlogs and TikkeyTokketies, Instagrams and OnlyFanses become more and more abundant, the craft of long form, thoughtful storytelling shines even brighter. The Florida Surf Film Festival is one such example of greatness, showcasing curated piece of art after curated piece of art.
Paul Taublieb is another such.
The multi-time Emmy winner, in his prime and best known in our world for producing Hawaiian: The Legend of Eddie Aikau, has spent the last three years of his life following some of the world’s greatest big wave surfers around the globe, including Kai Lenny, Makua Rothman, Nic Von Rupp, Bianca Valenti, Matt Bromley and Torrey Meister catching their never-before-heard stories, capturing never-before-seen visuals including history’s first ever 100-foot wave and all narrated by the one-and-only Josh Brolin, whose sultry baritone makes everything better.
The film will be released on January 20th in theaters but you can watch an exclusive trailer, gifted only to BeachGrit, here.
I reached out to Taublieb, curious as to what inspired the whole business.
“I was wondering why the hell do we care about watching crazy people riding giant waves,” he responded. “What makes it interesting and compelling? And not from me, but the surfers talked about how they face fear and if a kook like me can see them overcome fear in the water, I can think about overcoming fear in my life, from asking for a raise or trying my real best. That fear is a tool, fear is a device and if in watching a maniac riding giant Nazare or Pipe or Mavericks and overcome their fear, maybe I can a tad little bit better in my life.
Dare not to be moved.