Get ready to be swept away by In Waves. The animated film, adapted from AJ Dungo’s beloved autobiographical graphic memoir of the same name, is coming to Netflix this fall.
In filmmaker Phuong Mai Nguyen’s feature debut, shy teenager and amateur skateboarder AJ meets Kristen, an avid surfer, at a high school dance, and he’s immediately enamored with her. Against the backdrop of sunny, vibrant Los Angeles and in the throes of first love, Kristen introduces AJ to the joys and culture of surfing, despite AJ’s initial fear of all things water. Catch the trailer above and check out new photos below.
Featuring the voices of Actor Award winner and Emmy Award nominee Will Sharpe (The White Lotus, Too Much) as AJ and Academy Award and Tony Award nominee Stephanie Hsu (Everything Everywhere All at Once, Steps) as Kristen, In Waves follows the couple’s love story as they take on every adversity that comes their way, powered by their passion for the ocean, for their community, and for each other. “I wanted to make a film that highlights the tenderness and the resilience in this couple and their group of friends,” says Nguyen. “I wanted the film to convey, through the characters, an urgency to live and to believe in the future.”
Read on for more about the animated feature, which made its debut as the opening selection of the 2026 Cannes Critics’ Week.
Based on a true story, In Waves follows a reserved high school student, AJ (Sharpe), who spends his days drawing and skateboarding with his friends. His classmate, Kristen (Hsu), an energetic surfer, finds joy and freedom in the ocean. When they meet, curiosity evolves into deep love: Kristen teaches AJ to surf and shares the historical connection between surfing and Hawaiian culture. As their relationship grows closer, AJ is inspired to preserve their bond by drawing their story. An animated true story set against the sun-soaked surf culture of Southern California, In Waves explores the joy of finding your soulmate, the courage it takes to live life to the fullest, and the enduring power of love to shape who we become and what we leave behind.
The film will hit select theaters on Nov. 27 before landing on Netflix on Dec. 11.
