Girls Can't Surf

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1:40

Girls Can't Surf

2020

1h 48m

Documentary

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

100%

Tomatometer

15 Reviews

70%

Popcornmeter

Fewer than 50 Ratings

It's the 1980s and the world of professional surfing is a circus of fluoro colours, 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.

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Rebecca Harrison

Sight & Sound

Girls Can’t Surf makes for a bittersweet historical record that will ensure women surfers’ contributions to the sport are never wiped out.

Sep 9, 2022

Full Review

Tom Shone

Times (UK)

A plain mix of talking heads and archive clips, and it doesn’t have a huge number of shots of the women actually surfing. But it’s full of spirited, engaging stories.

Rated: 3/5

Aug 22, 2022

Full Review

Kevin Maher

Times (UK)

... Infected with a giddy, punk rock energy.

Rated: 4/5

Aug 19, 2022

Full Review

Jane Freebury

The Canberra Times (Australia)

It is fascinating to hear in Girls Can't Surf from Layne Beachley about this turning point, when she became the poster girl for Billabong...

Rated: 4/5

Aug 23, 2022

Full Review

Jennifer Green

Common Sense Media

This isn't the first documentary about sexist treatment of female athletes, but the world of surf culture gives it an entirely unique feel.

Rated: 4/5

May 3, 2022

Full Review

Graeme Tuckett

Stuff.co.nz

Girls Can't Surf is a spectacular, angering, engrossing and inspiring yarn, well-assembled and packed with indelible personalities.

Rated: 4/5

Apr 8, 2021

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helen b

A brilliant documentary about misogyny in the surf world

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

t. b

Moved to tears by this film which I watched with our daughter whom I, at one time, had assumed, incorrectly as it turns out, would not want to surf. There are many moments of cringe for us lads. If you love a leadership story, an underdog story or if you love surfing, especially if you have female surfing chums, including sweethearts, wife and daughters, you will love this film.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Girls Can't Surf was, like many adventure documentaries, well produced using a variety of historical footage and interviews. It didn't hit home quite as hard as Maiden (2019) which I found absolutely spectacular. I wish we could have seen more of the surfing performance from the athletes and witnessed perspectives from more other people (ie- event organisers). It translated a vibe quite well, but didn't pull you in quite as deep as it could have - but again, perhaps it's because of continued failures by the committee and an underwhelming feeling that things haven't quite changed as much as we would want.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/11/23

Full Review

Audience Member

horrible didnt make sense

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

01/20/23

Full Review

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Christopher Nelius

Director

Lisa Andersen

Self

Rochelle Ballard

Self

Layne Beachley

Self

Wendy Botha

Self

Pam Burridge

Self

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Girls Can't Surf: Trailer 1

1:40

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Synopsis

It's the 1980s and the world of professional surfing is a circus of fluoro colours, 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.

Director: Christopher Nelius
Producer: Christopher Nelius, Michaela Perske
Screenwriter: Julie-Anne De Ruvo, Christopher Nelius
Production Co: Finch, Whipped Sea, Pursekey Productions
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: Australian English
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 19, 2022
Runtime: 1h 48m

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