United States 2023, 95 min, English and Portuguese, Hebrew & English subtitles
Surfers who venture out to ride the tallest waves know their hopes can be pinned on fitness, a coach, God, or timing—never on the sea itself. Maya Gabeira was born a dreamer and scaled her first “water mountain” at 17. The Brazilian athlete became the first female big-wave surfer, and neither the sexist attitudes in this decidedly male-dominated sport nor her near-career-ending crash could extinguish her inner fire, a fire fueled by an abundance of ambition—and no small amount of fear. This striking, suspenseful, and skillfully filmed sports doc follows Maya all the way to Nazare, Portugal—the Mecca of surfers, where she will finally and definitively conquer the mountain.
Sponsored by Geographical Tours
Previous Festivals: TIFF, DOC NYC, Sun Valley Film Festival
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