‘Makai’ — a story of Julian Williams through the lenses of Loris Russier. This beautiful film aims to inspire a diverse range of young individuals to pursue their passion for surfing while shedding light on the substantial racism Julian has faced in the surfing world.
African Americans have long since been underrepresented in the world of surfing but the tide is slowly turning. Julian is currently semi-pro but will hopefully go on to make history as the first Hawaiian-born African American professional surfer.
Julian Williams, an African American surfer born in Hawaii with a powerful story and message. His message, ‘the ocean is not just for them, it’s for everyone,’ captures the central theme.
Shooting on 35mm film over four days in Hawaii, and another three in LA, Russier connects with Williams’ past and present on a deep level, moving through different chapters of his life, and documenting the skill and perseverance that escalated his surfing career.
Finding a wider community of African American surfers upon relocating to LA, Williams’ perspective shifted with his landscape, evolving into the foundations of a cinematic portrait of Hawaii’s surf culture and the prejudices inherent within the community — and an ambition to overthrow them for a new generation.
