Acclaimed professional surfer Tatiana Weston-Webb will attend the world premiere of her new biographical film, A Marble in the Jar, on Wednesday, June 4, as part of the opening night of the Lighthouse International Film Festival.
The screening will take place at 9:15 p.m. at the Surf City Firehouse and will be followed by a Q&A session featuring Weston-Webb, filmmaker Scott Smith, and cinematographer John Detemple. The film will be paired with Surfer’s Dharma, a short by Uriel Jean Armel.
Weston-Webb, who ended the 2024 season ranked No. 3 on the World Surf League Championship Tour and earned a silver medal at the Paris Olympics, has been a consistent presence in international surfing for over a decade. The 28-year-old athlete, born in Brazil to a Brazilian bodyboarding mother and a British-American surfer father, was raised in Hawaii and began her career there.
Her accolades include back-to-back International Surfing Association World Junior Championships in 2013 and 2014, four WCT event wins, and appearances in both the 2020 and 2024 Olympic Games. She finished second overall in the WSL rankings in 2021.
The documentary offers a close-up look at Weston-Webb’s career and personal journey, highlighting both her triumphs and challenges. The film’s title refers to a metaphor about celebrating even the smallest achievements — likened to collecting marbles in a jar over time.
Marble in the Jar was co-created by the late Greg Browning, a beloved figure in the surf community and former member of the influential “Momentum Generation,” which included legends such as Kelly Slater, Rob Machado, and Shane Dorian. Browning transitioned from professional surfing to filmmaking, capturing groundbreaking footage of top surfers throughout the 2000s. He served as Weston-Webb’s coach and videographer for three years before being diagnosed with ALS in 2023. He passed away in April 2025.
“Greg traveled with Tatiana for three years as a coach and filmer,” said filmmaker Scott Smith, who co-produced and edited the film. “He and I had worked together through her sponsor, Body Glove, where he spent 12 years. It was just great timing that I could join him on this project.”
Smith, who previously produced films for the Professional Association of Diving Instructors, was invited by Browning to join the project shortly after his departure from PADI.
In March, Weston-Webb announced a hiatus from competition, citing the need for a mental health reset. Smith believes Browning’s declining health played a role in that decision. The surfer began the 2025 season with two ninth-place finishes and a 17th-place result at the MEO Rip Curl Pro Portugal before stepping away. She has since been listed as injured by the WSL.
The documentary includes interviews with top names in the sport, including 11-time world champion Kelly Slater, Olympic gold medalist Carissa Moore, coach Ross Williams, and WSL commentator Joe Turpel. The trailer features high-intensity surfing footage, emotionally charged moments, and behind-the-scenes glimpses of Weston-Webb’s journey.
“It’s really hard being an athlete by yourself. You need a team of people that love you around you to be successful and do well,” Weston-Webb says in the trailer.
Following the world premiere in Surf City, the film is scheduled to screen in Browning’s hometown of Hermosa Beach, California on June 6, and at the historic La Paloma Theatre in Encinitas on June 7. Both events are expected to draw significant attention from the surf community.
Tickets for the Surf City premiere are available at Lighthouseff.eventlive.org.