"The Life and Death of Westerly Windina" documentary - 12 years in the making - world premiere set for Byron Bay

"I can’t even explain how much the guys have put into making this film, with roadblocks at every turn! The film is beautiful. Heartfelt and honest. It’s not a trans story, it’s Peter’s story, and that’s something that is important to be told." – Jolyon Hoff, The Surf Film Archive

THE LIFE AND DEATH OF WESTERLY WINDINA TELLS THE INCREDIBLE TRUE STORY OF AUSTRALIAN SURFING ICON PETER DROUYN’S GLORIOUS AND HARROWING TRANSFORMATION INTO WESTERLY WINDINA.

The Life and Death of Westerly Windina, a gripping new documentary that delves into the life of one of surfing’s most enigmatic figures, will have its World Premiere on Saturday October 19, 2024 in competition at the Byron Bay International Film Festival. Presented by Westward Productions (Severance, House of Cards), in association with The Surf Film Archive, the film chronicles the transformation of Australian Surfing Hall of Famer Peter Drouyn into Westerly Windina.

An epic twelve years in the making, the film highlights Drouyn’s seminal contributions to surfing while exploring the isolation and struggles Drouyn faced behind his swaggering public persona - and eventual transition. Westerly Windina was able to dig deep into the essence of identity - despite harsh scrutiny from the surf community.

Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Alan White and renowned author and journalist Jamie Brisick, and produced by House of Cards and Severence producers Beau Willimon and Jordan Tappis, The Life and Death of Westerly Windina is an odyssey, a brave and unflinching query into selfhood.

This world premiere invites audiences to witness intimate interviews, rare archival footage, and the untold story of a surf legend’s remarkable, real-life metamorphosis.

Join us at 7:30 pm, October 19, 2024 at the Palace Theatre Byron Bay, for a story about the most complicated Australian surfing hero who ever lived.

BUY TICKETS

WATCH THE TRAILER

Notable Quotes:

Westerly Windina: “Peter was a caterpillar who gradually metamorphosed into a butterfly called Westerly… It was a supernova, suddenly Peter went; Westerly was there.”

Bob McTavish: “Peter was terrifyingly good, very, very confident, I just quit because he was so good!”

Steph Gilmore: “How incredible is this beautiful woman, Westerly, one of the world’s best in the history of surfing.”

“It was incredible, the rebirth of Westerly or Peter Drouyn, the star of the show, the centre of the stage.”

“I could not imagine what that would feel like to come out in front of all your peers.”

Daniielle Alexis (Transgender advocate): “My hopes and dreams for Westerly or for Peter is to find truth, love, and support in being their most authentic self”

“We are all different and we all do have a different story.  You may not understand it, you may not agree, appreciate, but you have to respect that this person is living in their truth.”

Nat Young: “I was just astounded… that inside Peter Drouyn the surfer and the man was a girl.”

Shaun Tomson: “What courage, what courage, after everything that he’s done this is most courageous path, I admire him, I admire her.”

Rabbit Bartholomew: “Nobody did it like Drouyn, he was just majestic. I looked at him and thought, ‘Wow, good to be King.’”

Peter Townend: “He was the epitome of an Australian male surfing hero.”

THE FILMMAKERS

Director Alan White is an Australian filmmaker known for his diverse body of work across multiple genres. In addition to The Life and Death of Westerly Windina, White directed the critically acclaimed films Erskineville Kings, starring Hugh Jackman, and Risk, which premiered at the Toronto Film Festival. His other notable films include Broken, starring Heather Graham, and the Lionsgate thriller Reclaim, featuring Ryan Phillippe. White has also established himself as a leading force in the world of advertising, being the first director to win an Emmy for “Outstanding TV Commercial.” His contributions to both film and advertising have been recognized with numerous international awards, including the prestigious Cannes Lions and CLIO Awards.

Director Jamie Brisick, a former professional surfer, has written extensively about surfing and culture. His works include Becoming Westerly, a biography that provides a personal and nuanced portrait of Peter Drouyn’s transformation. Brisick is also the author of We Approach Our Martinis with Such High Expectations, a collection of essays that explore life through the lens of surfing and identity. His writing has appeared in The New Yorker, The New York Times, The Guardian, The Sydney Morning Herald, and The Surfer’s Journal. Brisick’s other acclaimed books include Have Board, Will Travel: The Definitive History of Surf, Skate, and Snow.

Jordan Tappis is an award-winning film and television producer, director and music executive. He is the co-founder and co-CEO of independent film and television studio Westward, with recent productions that include Apple TV’s Severance, Hulu’s The First and Netflix’s Grand Army. He is the founder and president of creative music studio Record Collection, whose roster of artists has included Red Hot Chili Pepper John Frusciante, Fiona Apple, Cass Mccombs, Perfume Genius, Will Oldham, The Walkmen and Blake Mills, among many others. A principal and board member of American NGO’s Waves For Water and TheraSURF, Jordan lives and surfs in North Los Angeles with his family. 

Beau Willimon is a screenwriter, playwright and producer. Television: Creator/Showrunner of Netflix’s House of Cards. Creator/Showrunner of Hulu’s The First. Writer on Tony Gilroy’s Andor. Film: Co- screenwriter for Ides of March, based on his play Farragut North, for which he received an Academy Award® nomination. Screenwriter of Mary Queen of Scots. Theater: Lower Ninth, Farragut North, Spirit Control, Breathing Time and Parisian Woman. Willimon served as president of the Writers Guild of America, East for four years, on Council for seven. He received a BA from Columbia University, MFA from Columbia’s School of the Arts and a fellowship from Juilliard’s Playwriting Program. He is the co-founder of Westward Productions. 

Join us at 7:30 pm, October 19, 2024 at the Palace Theatre Byron Bay, for a story about the most complicated Australian surfing hero who ever lived.