Girls Can't Surf
Girls Can't Surf

Movie spotlight

Girls Can't Surf

2021
Movie
108 min
English

It’s the 1980s and the world of professional surfing is a circus of fluorescent colors, peroxide hair and radical male egos. "Girls Can't Surf" follows the journey of a band of renegade surfers who took on the male-dominated professional surfing world to achieve equality and change the sport forever. Featuring surfing greats Jodie Cooper, Frieda Zamba, Pauline Menczer, Lisa Andersen, Pam Burridge, Wendy Botha, Layne Beachley and more, "Girls Can't Surf" is a wild ride of clashing personalities, sexism, adventure and heartbreak, with each woman fighting against the odds to make their dreams of competing a reality.

Insights

IMDb7.2/10
Rotten Tomatoes96%
Metacritic76/100
Google Users93%
Director: Christopher NeliusGenres: Documentary, Sport

Plot Summary

This documentary shines a light on the forgotten history of female surfers who challenged the male-dominated surf industry in the 1980s and 1990s. It follows a group of courageous women who fought for equality, recognition, and prize money in a sport that was actively trying to exclude them. Their journey was one of passion, resilience, and a determination to prove that girls absolutely can surf.

Critical Reception

Girls Can't Surf has been widely praised for its inspiring story, vibrant archival footage, and its powerful message of gender equality in sports. Critics and audiences alike have lauded the film for bringing to light a crucial yet overlooked chapter of surf history and celebrating the pioneers who paved the way for future generations of female athletes.

What Reviewers Say

  • An inspiring and necessary documentary that highlights the fight for equality in professional surfing.

  • Features compelling archival footage and interviews that bring the struggles and triumphs of female surfers to life.

  • Celebrates the resilience and passion of women who defied expectations and broke barriers in a male-dominated sport.

Google audience: Google users overwhelmingly praise 'Girls Can't Surf' as a fantastic and important documentary. They highlight its inspiring story of female surfers battling sexism in the 80s and 90s, the excellent use of archival footage, and its powerful message of empowerment and perseverance. Many found it to be a feel-good movie that is both entertaining and educational, celebrating the trailblazing women who fought for their place in the sport.

Fun Fact

The documentary features the original 'Babe Series' surf magazines from the 1980s, which were created to promote female surfers but often sexualized them, highlighting the industry's problematic approach to women in the sport.

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