Tracking Maya Gabeira’s quest to surf one of the world’s biggest waves in Nazaré, Portugal, Stephanie Johnes’ documentary “Maya and the Wave” splits its time between standard-issue documentary about Gabeira’s rise in the community and insightful critique of how institutionalized misogyny in the surfing world has tried to diminish Gabeira’s contributions to the sport.
Featuring some incredible visuals, and using Gabeira to tell her own story, it’s an entertaining and informative exploration of the professional surfing community The enormous waves in Nazaré act as both a framing device within the story and Gabeira’s white whale.
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