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Narrated by 5-time World Champion surfer Carissa Moore, “The Sea and She” is a coming-of-age surf documentary about Sunny Kazama, a teenager from Hawai’i whose journey reaches far beyond the lineup. Framed by the emotional stakes of a pivotal competitive season and a transformative gap year, the film traces her path from a child learning to ride waves in Waikīkī to a young woman finding purpose in both sport and advocacy.
Raised in the rhythm of the ocean, Sunny grew up with surfing as both playground and teacher, absorbing lessons in patience, humility, resilience, and change.
As her surfing deepens, so does her understanding of what the sport means to her community. While training for contests, pushing herself in bigger surf, and navigating the uncertainty of early adulthood, Sunny also takes on a different kind of challenge: advocating for surfing to be recognized and funded as a high school sport in Hawai’i, becoming the first and only state in the USA to do so. Her work carries her from the beach to congressional hearings, from wetsuit to pant suit, revealing a young athlete learning to speak up for the culture and community that shaped her.
Blending poetic ocean imagery, intimate family history, and the physical beauty and risk of surfing, “The Sea and She” is a portrait of a young woman in motion—driven by love for the sea, her heritage, and the next generation. At once personal and universal, the film explores identity, courage, and what it means to grow into your voice while still learning to ride the unpredictable waves beneath you.
Directed by Tyler Shortt (USA)