Lost Jewel of the Atlantic (2006)

Weaving thrilling big-wave surfing footage with testimony from some of surfing's greatest personalities, Lost Jewel of the Atlantic chronicles one of the world's most significant surf discoveries in decades, and the subsequent battle to prevent its destruction from ill-conceived coastal development. Discovered in the late 1970's by French surfer Gibus de Soultrait, the point break in Jardim do Mar remained a relative secret to all but a lucky few traveling surfers, who challenged the island's big surf until the late '90's without revealing its location to the surfing world. But the secrecy that surrounded it led to its ultimate demise, when the government of Madeira proposed building a massive seawall in this small seaside village. Surfers are not usually seen as being environmental revolutionaries, but in the case of Jardim do Mar, Madeira, they became true conservationists in order to preserve their surfing heritage. Lost Jewel of the Atlantic is a film about the battle that was waged in this small seaside village, where young surfers attempted to stand up for their rights against a government driven by greed. Local surfers in Madeira, with help from Save the Waves Coalition, mounted a serious fight in an attempt to save one of Europe's best surf spots. They fought against government misinformation, general ignorance about their sport, and hostile local population to make their point heard. The film chronicles the discovery of surf on the island, the fight to save it, and emphasizes the point that surf spots are a valuable coastal resource that should never be destroyed.