SURFILMUSIC traces how Johnson’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 Johnson’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.
Directed by Emmett Malloy and featuring Kelly Slater, Rob Machado, Ben Harper, and more, the film is scored by by Jack Johnson and Hermanos Gutiérrez.