Opening reception + Film: Increments of Fear: The Buzzy Trent Story
July 9 at 6 p.m.
Tickets: $40 general, $35 museum members and 18 and under
The 17th edition of the festival kicks off with a reception and world-premiere screening of Increments of Fear: The Buzzy Trent Story. The reception in Luce Pavilion starts at 6 p.m. and includes live music by Men in Grey Suits, pūpū by Local Poke Bowl LLC, and a cash bar.  Increments of Fear: The Buzzy Trent Story screens at 7:30pm and will be followed by a post-screening talk story. Doors open for film-only ticket holders at 7:15 p.m. 

Increments of Fear: The Buzzy Trent Story 
Produced by Anna Trent Moore and Roy Moore of the Bud Browne Film Archives. 2026. USA. 80 min. 
Increments of Fear: The Buzzy Trent Story is about one of big wave surfing’s pioneering icons. Sailing to Hawai‘i in 1952 in search of the biggest waves he could find, Buzzy Trent would trailblaze big wave surfing during the modern era of the sport at Makaha and on the North Shore of O‘ahu. He immortalized the period with his famous quote, “Big waves are not measured in feet, but in increments of fear.” 
     For about a month, Ann Trent Moore carried around a tape recorder and captured her father's stories on cassette tapes. Those recordings became the basis for her 2010 book Increments of Fear: The Buzzy Trent Story, which went through three printings. Now she and husband Roy Moore have combined historical footage from the Bud Browne Film Archives with the taped interviews of her father to paint the portrait of a man and the heart of big wave surfing during the sport’s golden era. 
     Following the film will be a talk story panel with surf luminaries Clark Abbey, Ray Beatty, James Jones, Randy Rarick, Jock Sutherland, and Reid Inouye.

Haagua + Ceibo
July 10 at 2 p.m., July 18 at 2 p.m.
These two films explore indigenous knowledge surfing. Runtime: 74 min.

Haagua
Directed by Octavio Coutiño Aceves and Marc Antony Chavez. 2025. USA. 15 min.  
Haagua features indigenous surfers, including San Diego–based Kānaka Maoli Kaliko Kahoonei, who reflect on their cultural and spiritual connection to the sea. Surfing emerges not merely as a sport but as a rediscovery of cultural practices and a revival of an original way of life. “There is an indisputable pattern of the coastal displacement of Indigenous people across the globe,” says director Marc Chavez. This cultural regeneration comes to life through the journeys of Andy Nieblas (Acjachemen), David Flores Ramos (Coastal Sierra Nahua), Kahoonei, Shuuluk Leo-Retz (Kumeyaay), Amon B. Chavez (Nahua-Carib), Reg Macarro (Payomkawichum-Ojibwe), Liam Walsh (Payomkawichum), and Chavez (Nahua-Xicano). Together, they embody a modern resurgence of ancestral wisdom, blending tradition with the rhythm of the waves in a story of resilience, identity, and connection.
See the trailer.

Ceibo
Directed by Maddie Meddings and Lucy Small, 2025, UK/Ecuador, 59 min.
Ceibo is a profound reflection on our relationship with nature. Born in Cotacachi, Ecuador, and raised in Australia, professional surfer Pacha Light developed a deep awareness of environmental issues from an early age, shaped by her parents’ activism. After her father’s death in 2021, she returned to Ecuador to reconnect with her heritage and deepen her commitment to environmental advocacy in her home country.
     In Ceibo, she and fellow surfer and filmmaker Lucy Small journey across Ecuador to learn from women how we can better coexist with our planet. From the land rights struggles of the Andes and the Amazon, to an Olympic surfer who has carved out a path for women, to the fight to protect the waters of the Galápagos Islands, Ceibo explores some of the most important struggles of our time. Along the way, Pacha untangles her own evolving identity as she reconnects with her roots and embraces what it means to be Ecuadorian.  

Locals Only 2026 Program
July 10 at 7 p.m., July 26 at 2 p.m. and Aug. 1 at 2 p.m.
This roundup of six locally made surf films, including a tribute to Point Panic, reveals the breadth of talent and vision here in our islands. See the full selection of films online.

Antarctica—Domain One
Directed by Joaquín and Julián Azulay, 2025, Argentina, 94 min.
July 11 at 7 p.m. and July 24 at 2 p.m.
The latest from Joaquín and Julián Azulay, the multiaward-winning filmmakers known as the Gauchos del Mar, sees the brothers set out on the most challenging sailing and surfing expedition yet. Narrated by Kelly Slater, this eye-opening film is an exploration of our impact on the wildest reaches of our natural world. The Azulays chart the under-threat, hazardous, and frigid waters of Antarctica in search of waves and a look into vital research on krill, fish, and glaciers.
     This must-see documentary delves into the pressing need to safeguard Antarctica, a continent collectively owned by nations worldwide. It unveils the consequences of climate change on this fragile ecosystem, the threat of concentrated fishing fleets on krill populations, and the importance of establishing a network of MPAs (Marine Protected Areas).

A still from The Sea & She featuring Sanoe Kazama, part of the Sea Her Stories showcase.

Sea Her Stories
July 12 at 2:00 p.m., July 17 at 7:00 p.m. and July 23 at 2:00 p.m.
This collection of short films, including three from Hawai‘i, highlights the sisterhood of surfing. Run time: 88 min.
See the full selection of films online.

Magic Island
Directed by Max Desantis. 2026. Indonesia. 58 min.
July 16 at 2 p.m. and July 24 at 7 p.m.
This stunningly beautiful documentary charts the course of Uluwatu—the tiny remote fishing village and surf break on Bali’s southern shore made famous by Hawai‘iʻs Gerry Lopez. Today it is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world and teeming with resorts. Director Max Desantis looks at the impact of development on Uluwatu’s people, land, and waves.

Keeping in the Shadows
Directed by Perry Gershkow. 2026. USA. 80 min.
July 17 at 2 p.m. and July 25 at 7 p.m.
Keeping in the Shadows is a visually rich surf odyssey that follows Noah Wegrich on a globe-spanning journey through Ireland, Scotland, Chile, South Africa, and the U.S. Along the way, he’s joined by an eclectic crew that includes Bryce Baker, Wilem Banks, Ben Coffey, Parker Coffin, Ian Crane, Brendon Gibbons, Tanner Gudauskas, Pat Gudauskas, Cliff Kapono, Noah Lane, Conor Maguire, Jordy Maree, Torren Martyn, Gearoid McDaid and Nat Young.
See the trailer: https://vimeo.com/1147024591?fl=pl&fe=ti

Board Shorts 2026
July 18 at 7 p.m. and July 30 at 2 p.m. Runtime: 79 min.
A roundup of short surf films from around the world. See the full lineup online.

SURFILMUSIC
July 19 at 2 p.m. FREE with registration
Directed by Emmett Malloy. 2026. USA. 75 min.
Part of the program for HoMA’s Community Sunday. This new documentary chronicles Jack Johnson’s evolution from surfer to filmmaker to world-renowned musician. Discover how Jack’s early years making surf films with close friends became a foundation for a much broader creative life, capturing moments in and out of the water that later surfaced in his songwriting. Blending rare footage from those formative surf films and Jack’s personal and family archives with present-day reflections, the film weaves together how lived experience, friendship, and exploration shaped the sound and stories behind the music. Featuring Jack Johnson, Kelly Slater, Rob Machado, Gerry Lopez, Chris Malloy, G. Love, Ben Harper, John Florence, Kim Johnson, and more, with a beautiful score by Jack Johnson and Hermanos Gutiérrez. 
See the trailer: https://youtu.be/f6VztuVWGI0?si=G6noCYWlTkpma1Bl

A still from Kingdom of the Evening.

Kingdom of the Evening
Jul 25 and 31 at 2 p.m.
Directed by Clint Davis. 2025. France. 45 min.
In 2010, young adventurer Kepa Acero traveled alone to North Africa in search of empty waves. In Morocco, he met a 15-year-old kid named Yassine. Though they spoke different languages, they shared waves and an undeniable connection. Fifteen years later, Kepa and Snoopy meet again. But life has changed—Yassine is now known as Snoopy Style, a professional surf guide and local legend in Taghazout. And his dusty fishing village’s shore is now lined with boutique hotels and Anchor Point is packed with digital nomads chasing Wi-Fi and waves.
     Together, with filmmaker Ayoub Abouizza, Kepa and Yassine embark on a journey to find what once was empty line-ups, pure stoke, and that elusive feeling of freedom.
See the trailer: https://youtu.be/OSir6uXTWSk?si=wV_GOT3uwcfrx3D8

PRECEDED BY

One Shot: Glacier Surfing
Directed by Nicolas Pina. 2024. Spain / Greenland. 14 min.
Surfer Eurico Romaguera and photographer Jorge Abian set out for Greenland to capture a wave created by a calving glacier.

Surf Poets Society X HSFF 2026
July 31 at 7 p.m., FREE with registration
This free community event features the Surf Poets Society, hosted by founder (and Honolulu Surf Film Festival Committee Member) Manny Aloha. Be prepared for an immersive experience showcasing local surf-inspired creatives, including festival graphic artist Angie Samblotte, one of the society’s original contributors, and creator of the festival’s T-shirt design.
     The Surf Poets Society is a group of artists who create art about the poetic aspects of surfing—the glide, the mist, the mood, and not only the dude in the tube.

Water Colours
Aug. 2 at 5 p.m.
Directed by Herbie Fletcher. 2004. USA / Hawai‘i. 120 min.  
This visually stunning longboard film captures surfing as an art form, with each surfer painting their own unique strokes on the canvas of the wave. Watch as legendary longboarders such as Bonga Perkins, Joel Tudor, Dino Miranda and Kanoa Dahlin demonstrate style, grace and flow in a film that celebrates the beauty and artistry of traditional surfing. Herbie Fletcher is the patriarch of the famous surfing Fletcher family and a visual artist. The surfboard sculpture in the lobby of the Modern Honolulu in Waikīkī is by him.

Through its collection, innovative exhibitions, and programs, the museum is able to tell stories relevant to Hawai‘i and the world at large. It serves as a gathering place of learning and discovery, where visitors can encounter new ideas, explore diverse perspectives, develop empathy, and contribute to their well-being through art. Home to an art school, Honolulu’s last art house theater, two cafes, and a shop—just 10 minutes from Waikīkī—HoMA is a vital part of Hawai‘i’s cultural landscape committed to access for all.

Hours: Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday 10am–6pm; Friday 10am–9pm

Admission: Adults $25; residents $15; free for youth 18 and under; free for SNAP beneficiaries and college students enrolled at any Hawai‘i state university or college.