New York- and Los Angeles-based film distribution and sales company Utopia has acquired the worldwide rights to “Trilogy: New Wave,” one of the most highly-anticipated surf films of the decade. The film is directed by Aether Film’s Andrew Mackenzie.
“Trilogy: New Wave” stars Griffin Colapinto, Ethan Ewing and Seth Moniz on a dream quest across the globe for pristine waves in Indonesia, Peru, South Africa and Tahiti. As the pressures of head-to-head competition for a championship crown weigh heavy, the three put fierce rivalries aside and discover how the power of friendship can unlock even greater success in and out of the water.
The trailer for “Trilogy: New Wave” was released Wednesday.
Currently on Tour in Australia, the film will screen at festivals and special events through the spring and summer. It will release globally across digital platforms in September.
The film’s stars are three of surfing’s top performers on Tour and film. Colapinto, from Southern California, is presently ranked number one on the World Surf League Championship Tour with Australia’s Ewing number two, following MEO Rip Curl Portugal where the two competed against each other in the final and Colapinto’s subsequent second place finish at Bells Beach. Ewing and Colapinto have also secured spots to compete at the 2024 Olympic Summer Games.
“’Trilogy: New Wave’ is really a coming-of-age story, as we see the guys mature into the top surf talent in the world. Their genuine friendship helps to unlock success, but don’t be fooled, there’s also a real rivalry between the three,” Mackenzie said. “As they say ‘iron sharpens iron,’ and you see the guys push each other to new heights with each surfing longer, and progressing more quickly than they would alone.”
Mackenzie and Aether Films positioned up to six cameras with a wide variety of angles on a single scene including an FPV racing drone angle that is new to surfing. This allowed Mackenzie to take more chances, cut some camera angles closer and create a completely fresh take on how the world sees surfing.
“Thanks to Mackenzie’s masterful filmmaking, you do not have to be a surf fan to feel the thrills of Ewing, Colapinto and Moniz’s astonishing talent catching the world’s biggest waves,” Utopia’s Robert Schwartzman said. “Utopia looks forward to making a splash with a moving epic on the heart and discipline that these world renowned surf champions have.”
The first surf film in Utopia’s roster, “Trilogy: New Wave” follows Utopia’s successful releases of sports-centered stories including “Facing Nolan,” “Rowdy” and “Day by Day.”
More than a decade has passed since the original “Trilogy” (2007), a classic surf film directed by Taylor Steele, was released. Since then, surfing has transitioned from countercultural pastime to mainstream sport. “Trilogy: New Wave” examines this evolution with a new lens, offering an unexpected perspective of surfing’s present.
The film was produced by Mackenzie’s Aether Films, a production TV and broadcast commercial company. Some of Aether’s clients include Toyota, Adidas, Google, Uber and Oakley.
