First Love Meets Life-Changing Loss In Netflix’s ‘In Waves’ Trailer

Netflix has released a new trailer for In Waves, the animated adaptation of AJ Dungo’s autobiographical graphic novel about first love, surfing, loss, and grief. Directed by Phuong Mai Nguyen, the film opens in select theaters on November 27 before arriving on Netflix on December 11.

Will Sharpe and Stephanie Hsu lead the English-language voice cast as AJ and Kristen, two teenagers whose relationship unfolds against Southern California’s vibrant surf culture. AJ is a shy skateboarder and aspiring artist with a phobia of the water, while Kristen is an avid surfer who introduces him to the ocean. Their budding romance faces a devastating challenge when Kristen becomes seriously ill.

The film is Nguyen’s feature directorial debut and opened Cannes Critics’ Week this year, becoming Netflix’s first acquisition at the festival this year, before screening at Annecy a couple of weeks later. Fanny Burdino and Samuel Doux wrote the screenplay, expanding on Dungo’s memoir through conversations with the author about the couple’s lives beyond the book.

For the adaptation’s visual approach, Nguyen drew inspiration from David Hockney’s paintings and California’s distinctive light. She has said in press materials that she used shifts in color and the ocean itself to reflect the characters’ emotional journeys, moving from bright, shimmering hues to paler, murkier tones as the story progresses. While researching the film, she also visited the couple’s high school, Kristen’s home, and their surfing beaches.

In Waves is produced by Priscilla Bertin and Judith Nora for Silex Films and Nick Shumaker for Anonymous Content. Oklou and Rob wrote the original music, and Sharpe and Hsu also served as executive producers.