Riding Giants

In Riding Giants, documentary filmmaker Stacy Peralta (Dogtown and Z-Boys) tells the story of big wave surfing by showing us how the sport has evolved over time and how it continues to grow and change. He tells his tale through interviews with top surfers from over the years and stunningly beautiful archival film clips of their best rides. Instead of concentrating on how the sport has become commercialized, this film celebrates the simple joy of surfing and the rush that comes with riding giant waves. The documentary's depiction of the North Shore surfing life in the 1950s is every kid's dream: a small band of young friends living in beach shacks, catching their own food, and surfing all day without being tied down with any responsibilities. These young men eschewed the 1950s dream of finding the perfect job and settling down and instead focused on catching the next big wave.