Singer-songwriter Jack Johnson has announced SURFILMUSIC, a new documentary chronicling his journey from surfer to filmmaker to globally recognized musician. The film makes its world premiere at SXSW today, followed by a special concert at Stubb’s Bar-B-Q in Austin, where Johnson and his band will perform alongside Hermanos Gutiérrez.
SURFILMUSIC traces how Johnson’s early years creating surf films with close friends laid the groundwork for a much broader creative path. Blending rare footage from those early surf projects with material from his personal and family archives, the film reveals how life in and out of the water shaped the music and stories that would later define his career.
Directed by Emmett Malloy, the documentary features appearances from surfing legends and longtime collaborators including Kelly Slater, Rob Machado, Gerry Lopez, Chris Malloy, G. Love, Ben Harper, John John Florence, Kim Johnson, and others. The film also honors the late Tamayo Perry.
Alongside the documentary, Johnson will release a companion double album, SURFILMUSIC Soundtrack and 4-Tracks, arriving May 15 via Brushfire Records. The soundtrack features the original score by Jack Johnson and Hermanos Gutiérrez, alongside remastered selections from Johnson’s early four-track recordings. The 4-Tracks portion of the project dives deeper into archival material from his personal tapes, including raw recordings and previously unreleased songs from his earliest days as a musician.
The first release from the soundtrack, a new rendition of “Drink the Water” with Hermanos Gutiérrez, is available now on digital streaming platforms alongside an accompanying music video.
To celebrate the SXSW premiere, Johnson and his band will perform tonight at Stubb’s following a screening of his influential surf film Thicker Than Water, with an opening set from Hermanos Gutiérrez. The performance also offers a preview of Johnson’s upcoming summer tour, where the duo will join select dates as support.
The project will return to Hawaii for two special screenings on May 14 and May 15 at Blaisdell Concert Hall, celebrating the location where Johnson first began surfing, filming, and writing many of the songs that launched his career. Tickets for the Hawai‘i premieres will go on sale the week of March 16, with a presale reserved for Hawai‘i residents.
In addition, Thicker Than Water and The September Sessions, both originally filmed by Johnson in his early twenties, have been meticulously restored in 4K from their original 16mm film prints. Previously unavailable to stream or purchase, the films are now available on video-on-demand platforms.
Following its SXSW debut, SURFILMUSIC will begin a theatrical run in early June 2026, with additional screenings and event details to be announced soon.