From award-winning filmmaker Alice Gu, celebrated for the Sundance-honored THE DONUT KING, comes RAISED BY WAVES, an exhilarating yet deeply intimate portrait of family, heritage, and oceanic daring. The documentary follows teenage surfing prodigies Justin (15), Eric (15), and “Baby” Steve Roberson (14) as they prepare to ride the legendary, perilous swells of Maui’s iconic JAWS. Gu, known for capturing the interwoven threads of family legacy and cultural identity, brings the same lyrical eye and narrative warmth that distinguished her previous work. With breathtaking cinematography and remarkable access to the Robersons’ close-knit Hawai’i surfing community, RAISED BY WAVES is more than an extreme-sports chronicle: it’s a coming-of-age story about generational devotion, the power of mentorship, and the way traditions are passed from parent to child across the tides. Both thrilling and profoundly moving, Gu’s latest film celebrates the courage of youth and the enduring bonds that shape champions.

CREDITS

Director(s): Alice Gu

Producer(s): Ross Dinerstein, Rebecca Evans, Terry Dougas, Paris Kassidokostas-Latsis

Writer(s): Carol Martori

Cast: "Baby" Steve Roberson, Justin Roberson, Eric Roberson, Kaleo Roberson, Tiare Roberson

Cinematographer(s): Richard Hama

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