Momentum Generation: surfing in the 1990s was also a synonym for partying

If you've seen Taylor Steele's "Momentum: Under the Influence," you might be interested in watching a film that takes you back to the good old 1990s.

Produced by American actor Robert Redford, "Momentum Generation" follows the rise of a group of successful pro surfers who became stars of the sport and helped shape a critical period in the history of competitive surfing.

Surfers like Kelly Slater, Shane Dorian, Rob Machado, Paul Roach, Pat O'Connell, Kalani Robb, and Taylor Knox met each other at Benji Weatherley's house in Hawaii in the early 1990s.

"One winter, Benji and his mum rented a house right there at Pipeline. That was the epicenter of the North Shore. So everyone is gravitating towards Benji's house," explains Dorian.

The place became a hub for a crew of talented and creative athletes.

That was the start of a long-lasting friendship that continues through time in the form of surf trips, free surf sessions, social meetings, surfboard shaping discussions, and movies.

Approved by Kelly

More than two decades later, their names became synonyms for world titles, world records, environmental achievements, and technological breakthroughs.

Initially, Kelly Slater was not a fan of releasing a movie with good and bad memories and dreams that were never fully realized or fulfilled.

However, and after watching the final edit, the Floridian approved the film.

Jeff and Michael Zimbalist directed the documentary movie, which gathered all the athletes involved in that generational team for the first time.

The Zimbalist brothers combined archival footage and interviews, including Steele's unedited work, to create a relevant piece of surfing history.

"Momentum Generation" premiered on April 21, 2018, at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York.

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