”100 Foot Wave” with Joe Lewis

Top Docs: Award-Winning Documentary Filmmakers

“Nazaré”. To those who follow the world of big wave surfing, the word speaks for itself. A once sleepy fishing village on the coast of Portugal, Nazaré has now become one of the world’s preeminent big wave surfing spots. It’s also the most likely future location for that most elusive of all surfing dreams: the 100-foot wave. As the hunting ground of legendary surfer Garrett McNamara, Nazaré plays a starring role in the thrilling six-part, Emmy®-nominated HBO series “100 Foot Wave” directed by Chris Smith (“Tiger King”, “American Movie”).

“100 Foot Wave” Executive Producer Joe Lewis (“Fleabag”, “Transparent”) recently sat down with Ken to plunge beneath the surface of the film team’s creative process. How did a conversation with his wife about a distant relation by marriage lead Joe to Garrett McNamara, who spent years working with local officials to put Nazaré on the map of big wave surfing? How did the filmmakers go from thinking they were pitching a feature film to making a six-part series that is now well on its way to a second season? And what was it like collaborating with Garrett and his wife Nicole, whose one condition was, “We don’t want to make a surf movie”? You’ve heard it a million times: it’s the journey that counts. But, if the waves break just right, you can be sure that Garrett or one of his cohorts will be there at Nazaré to catch that 100-foot wave. Please join us as we explore this incredible journey with Joe. It’s the most fun you can have while staying dry.

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