The Santa Barbara Surf Film Festival (SBSFF) returns for its fifth year, taking over the historic Lobero Theatre on September 26 and 27. Founded in 2019 to honor Southern California’s surfing history, celebrate surf culture, and raise awareness and funds for ocean conservation, the annual festival centers around films about iconic surfers, defining moments, and individuals who’ve left a mark on the world of surfing. Along the way, this celebratory community event has become a must-attend weekend for surfers, spectators, and ocean enthusiasts alike.
Friday night kicks off with a lineup that spans generations, starting with Making Waves: The Lakey Peterson Story, a short by Morgan Maassen about the Santa Barbara surf star. Next up is the world premiere of Hunter Martinez’s 17@20, capturing a massive swell that recently hit Ventura, plus a newly restored version of the Campbell Brothers’ 1976 classic Before the Flight — the film that introduced the groundbreaking Bonzer three-fin surfboard.
One of SBSFF’s most anticipated moments is the Friday presentation of the Legendary Award to this year’s winner: Matt Moore. A Carpinteria native, Moore started surfing at 8 years old, began shaping boards in high school, and went on to found Rincon Designs, his iconic line of custom boards. Decades later, Moore’s legacy of craftsmanship and enduring passion for the sport continue to inspire California surf culture.
Also on Friday is Bob Campi’s The Shape of Things: The Dick Brewer Story, which chronicles the life and influence of the legendary “shaping guru,” followed by a lively panel featuring surf icons Al Merrick, Allen Sarlo, Jim Kempton, Jericho Poppler, and more. The evening then closes with Chris Riel’s The Big White House, a heartfelt, two-decades-long passion project exploring how a group of upper-class youth found sanctuary and survival within the walls of a century-old Victorian in Montecito.
For its fifth annual edition, on Saturday the festival honors the youth winners of the 2025 Rincon Classic surf competition — Flynn Neth, Henry Goldstein, Dominic Arce, and Vela Mattive— and will show two short films of highlights from Flynn and Henry’s surfing careers thus far. Later that day, World Champion surfer, author, and recent Surf Industry Lifetime Achievement Award winner Shaun Tomson brings Surfer’s Code: Stories of Courage and Commitment. Through this interactive film experience, Tomson shares the transformative power of the Code — his simple yet profound set of promises that illustrate how lessons from the sea can inspire courage and purpose in our everyday lives.
Closing out the festival is a panel discussion and screening of Tony Gentile’s Shaping the Future, spotlighting board shaper Lance Collins, along with Dana Shaw’s Circles: An Ode to Shredding, a 16mm documentary “love letter” to skateboarding’s surf-inspired roots.
Each year, a portion of the festival’s proceeds are given to local nonprofit organizations that align with SBSFF’s mission to protect the ocean. Festival goers can visit with these organizations — including Heal the Ocean, Surfrider Santa Barbara Chapter, and the Surf Happens Foundation — outside the Lobero Theatre for more information and raffle and silent auction opportunities. Tickets are available at santabarbarasurffilmfestival.com.
Editor’s note: The story has been updated to reflect some changes to the youth-focused programming on Saturday, September 27.
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