A story of compassion, friendship, and wisdom

 

Tao of Surfing, based on the internationally acclaimed book by Michael A. Allen, celebrates the joy and wonder of youth, the heartbreak and challenges that come with unexpected life change and the inner peace that can result when we face adversity with courage and resolve. It is a film about two childhood friends bonded together by their mutual connection to the power and majesty of the sea and their love of surfing, one, an iconic, intuitively gifted free spirit, the other, a struggling young writer. We follow their journey as they come to age in their search for excitement, love, and adventure, and are with them as they come to terms with a life-changing event…the discovery of a mortal illness.

The metaphor of the ever-changing Sea underlines the influence of the Tao of life’s cycle, an ancient Chinese philosophy that emphasizes simplicity and the flowing movement, change and renewal that happens within the natural course of things. And so, the other leading character here is the Sea itself with her passion, beauty, exuberance and calm; her power to heal and renew; and her shared sense of peace and tranquility as one day ends and another begins.

This is a story of compassion, brotherhood and the wisdom that a dying friend leaves behind, and the realization that life’s changes parallel the ebb and flow of the tide. This is a film about our quest to achieve a more meaningful life by obtaining a deeper understanding of ourselves and our relationship to the world around us. Thus we continue our search for Perfection, Individuality, and Freedom. This beautiful, heartfelt story is one for the ages.