Surf films keep getting artier, more trippy and more beautiful. Or were they always that way? I guess 1972’s ground-breaking Morning of the Earth basically set the bar for a certain type of surf film in the way it used nature, mood and music to highlight the “spirituality” of surfing and drive home a powerful message.

DirectorJoe Guglielmino — or “Joe G” — has been making surf films for a decade. His latest is Strange Rumblings In Shangri La, a 60-minute opus that documents surfing in places as disparate as Iceland and Indonesia. It began making the rounds in June of this year with premiers around the globe; in Australia, Japan, the US, Brazil and France. Strange Rumblings features renown surfers including Dion Agius, Nate Tyler, Taj Burrow, Yadin Nicol, Damien Hobgood, Creed McTaggart, CJ Hobgood, Alex Smith, Noa Deane, Brendon Gibbens among others.

Indonesia to me is a place where anything that you can dream about can become a reality. The natural beauty of the place is unsurpassed anywhere else in the world, but the thing that makes Indonesia the land of unlimited opportunity is its people. I’ve never been to a place where I was greeted with as much warmth and openness as I have been privileged to enjoy in Indonesia. Whether in the middle of Bali or perched on the very edge of the jungle in Sumbawa, the incredible energy of the people of Indonesia is palpable and all-consuming. Whenever I leave wherever I’ve been in Indonesia, I feel like I’m leaving an extension of my own family, as there are always amazing people there who go above and beyond to take care of us and make us feel like a welcomed part of their beautiful world.

—Joe G

For more info on the film, check out the Strange Rumblings In Shangri La website, this press release from back in July, this Paste Magazine interview with director Joe G and Joe’s random notes from Bali Belly.

Oh and be sure to check out this amazing trailer from the film.