In Waves

The first animation film to open the Cannes’ Critics’ Week, In Waves by Phuong Mai Nguyen, takes us on a ride through the sun-soaked and cool surf culture of California. Adapted from the autobiographic novel by AJ Dungo, the film tells us of Dungo’s first high-school love, first surf session and the dreadful illness that breaks a perfect picture. The film’s strength lies in the celebration of the origins of surf in Hawaii, the sensibility of the characters and their way of interacting, as well as the beauty of the hand-drawn animation inspired by Hockney’s melancholic art.