LENGTH

Spec Feature Screenplay

GENRES

90s "POPCORN" / URBAN / DRAMA / ROM / SPORTS / COMING-Of-AGE

LOGLINE

After his ex-gang member father is killed, a Black teen surfer from Compton flees to Hawaii with his dad’s board, only to face local hostility, culture clashes, and the lure of his past as he fights to find his place in the waves—and within himself.

COMPAIRABLES

STORY AND SCREENPLAY BY

Judah Ray

PITCH

Mirror for the Sun is the perfect blend of hood drama, surf culture, and 90s nostalgia. Think Menace II Society meets the surfing world, with the fish-out-of-water charm of Karate Kid 2, and the heart-pounding, feel-good vibe of Blue Crush. It’s a raw, character-driven film about family, identity, and redemption, all set against the backdrop of a life-altering journey from the streets of Compton to the waves of Hawaii.

Rusty Jr., an 18-year-old Black surfer from Compton, has always balanced the pull of the streets with the quiet wisdom of his father, Rusty Sr., a former gang member who left his violent past behind to raise his son on the water. For years, father and son surfed together at dawn, away from the chaos. But when Rusty Sr. is senselessly gunned down, Rusty Jr. is consumed with the desire for revenge. But everything changes when he finds a hidden plane ticket to Hawaii—a chance to escape the streets, break the cycle of violence, and carve out a new path.

Rusty Jr. arrives in Hawaii with his father’s surfboard and a head full of rage, but the North Shore isn’t ready to welcome him. As a Black surfer from the rough streets of Compton, he’s seen as an outsider by the locals—especially Kūpaʻa Kailani, a fiercely territorial Hawaiian surfer who sees him as a threat. What follows is a tense, emotional battle for respect on the waves and off, as Rusty Jr. tries to prove himself and discover what surfing—and life—are really about.

In a series of brutal wipeouts, unexpected friendships, and high-stakes rivalries, Rusty Jr. starts to heal. He forms an unlikely bond with an old soul surfer who challenges him to be more than just a product of his environment, and eventually confronts Kūpaʻa in an epic showdown to earn his place in the water. As he learns to ride waves for the love of the sport—not for revenge or status—Rusty Jr. begins to understand that his father’s legacy wasn’t just about surfing; it was about breaking cycles, finding peace, and forging his own future.

Mirror for the Sun is a film that fuses the gritty, raw energy of urban life with the laid-back freedom of surfing, while tackling issues of identity, family, and self-worth. It's a classic 90s coming-of-age story wrapped in a high-stakes surf adventure, where the only way to win is to let go of the past and ride the waves of the future.
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With its pulse on the streets, the waves, and the timeless themes of growing up and finding your place in the world, Mirror for the Sun is the kind of movie that will resonate with audiences, while delivering the feel-good, popcorn-worthy energy of 90s cinema.

STATUS

Available for option.

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