Roxie Theater: Maya and the Wave

With post-screening Q&A with director Stephanie Johnes!

After a brush with death, world-champion Brazilian surfer Maya Gabeira battles monster waves as well as chauvinism in this stunning documentary.

MAYA and the WAVE, a feature length documentary, tells the extraordinary story of Maya Gabeira, the first woman to surf the giant wave in Nazaré, Portugal. She nearly drowns – and is ridiculed by the male big wave surfers who dominate the sport. Three spine surgeries and five years later, she surfs the biggest wave a woman has ever surfed. When her accomplishment is disregarded, Maya enlists the help of her fans to fight for recognition –and becomes the first female surfer honored with a Guinness World Record in big wave surfing.