FRESH from a premiere in the United States, Cornish film The Big Sea will be screened at Newquay’s Lighthouse Cinema on Thursday, April 24.
The award-winning documentary is an exposé of surfing’s dirty secret, its hidden links to Cancer Alley and the devastating impact of Neoprene production. It brings the story and campaign to the UK’s surfing heartlands, but the film has already caused a sea change in the $10 billion global surf industry.
Created by surfers and filmmakers Lewis Arnold, Chris Nelson and Demi Taylor The Big Sea uses the lens of surfing, to unwrap wider issues of environmental pollution, greenwashing and social justice while highlighting sustainable solutions to the Neoprene problem.
The Big Sea trailer
“We’ve been involved in surfing for more than two decades,” explains Cornish writer and producer of The Big Sea, Demi Taylor. “When we learned of the horrendous link between the wetsuits we use for our enjoyment and the impact their production is having on both people and planet, we knew we had to do something about it.”
Cancer Alley is an area along the banks of the Mississippi River. At its heart lies the only Neoprene plant in the US, which rises from the site of a former slave plantation. The communities around this factory are exposed to the highest cancer risk in the USA - fifty times the national average due to toxic emissions from the plant.
The majority of wetsuits on the market today are made of Neoprene. This synthetic material is born out of a carcinogenic chemical process so toxic that the California government requires wetsuits to carry health warnings.
The feature documentary brings together stunning surf cinematography with insights from surfers, scientists, environmental campaigners and industry insiders from across the globe.
Cornwall-based writer and filmmaker Chris Nelson said: “The Cornish surf industry has long held a global profile and we’re proud to include prominent voices from our community such as SAS Co-Founder Chris Hines MBE, Finisterre founder Tom Kay and leading pro surfer Mike Lay, alongside other influential, international figures.”
The Big Sea is touring the UK from Spring 2025, with special screenings accompanied by Q+A’s with the filmmakers and leading ocean activists, supported by environmental charity Surfers Against Sewage.
Demi adds: “The film is also a story of hope, shing a light on the proven and readily available natural rubber alternative which literally grows on trees. At the start of filming just four surf brands were Neoprene-free including Cornish B Corp, Finisterre.
“Now, thanks in part to the campaigning of The Big Sea, more than 20 additional surf brands have come on-line with natural rubber including Cornish companies Gul and C-Skins. It’s a celebration of the power we have as individuals to effect change.”
Pete Lewis, SAS Director of Fundraising said: “This is a hugely important documentary linking toxic chemicals to the products that we use to play in the sea.