Maya Gabeira and her story of near drowning at Nazare and then a comeback to becoming the first female surfer honoured with a Guinness World Record.
Maya and The Wave, which tells the extraordinary story of Maya Gabeira, the first woman to surf the notorious giant wave in Nazaré, Portugal, is being brought to UK cinemas for the first time in partnership with UK film distributor Tull Stories.
After nearly drowning early in her career, surfer Maya was ridiculed and ostracised by the male big wave surfers who dominate the sport. Five years and three spinal surgeries later, and seemingly against all odds, she conquers the biggest wave a woman has ever surfed.
When her incredible accomplishment was disregarded by the industry, Maya enlisted the help of her fans to fight for recognition, eventually becoming the first female surfer honoured with a Guinness World Record.Maya and The Wave was first runner up for the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) People’s Choice Documentary Award, and received tremendous critical and popular acclaim on its festival run.
Variety called the film ‘jaw-dropping’ and wrote “…the film more than succeeds in its primary goals of providing an inspirational role model plus lots of stupendous surfing footage, a combination that will enthral most viewers.”
Following ten years in production, director Stephanie Johnes commented: “Maya and the Wave is a very emotional film, filled with highs and lows, which mirrors the experience I had making it.
“I remember when I watched the first assembly – I watched and cried because I realised that all of the material gathered over those many years had actually turned into a wonderful story that showed the honest truth of a woman fighting to achieve her dream, while struggling against gender bias.”
The film will be screened in a select number of independent cinemas across the UK from 4th October 2024 as part of its long-awaited international tour. Click here to find Maya and the Wave on tour in UK cinemas.
