Award-winning “Waterman” film streams for free through June 14 on PBS

The film “Waterman” featuring the legendary Duke Paoa Kahanamoku is available for free live streaming on PBSHawaii.org , pbs.org and the PBS app through June 14.

The film opened with premiere at movie theaters nationwide on May 10 and had a television premiere of “American Masters: Waterman — Duke: Ambassador of Aloha,” narrated by Jason Momoa.

Kahanamoku, a five-time Olympic medallist in swimming, had a profound influence in swimming, surfing and overcoming racism.

The documentary presents Kahanamoku’s rise to fame and how he became the face of a changing Hawai’i, being officially named the state’s “Ambassador of Aloha.”

The film, directed by Isaac Halasima, continues to win awards, including the Audience Award for Best Documentary at the Hawai’i International Film Festival and the Ocean Sports Award from the International Ocean Film Festival, among many other accolades.

“Waterman and Duke’s creed of aloha are exactly what people need right now,” said David Ulich, Waterman producer and co-founder of Sidewinder Films. “The enjoyed tremendous success in theaters, and now we are excited to partner with PBS and the American Masters team to bring the Duke’s story to a wider audience.”

“Words cannot express how excited, humbled and honored we are for the opportunity to share this gift with our friends and families,” said Ron Mizutani, PBS Hawai‘i President and CEO. “Duke was more than a legendary waterman, he broke barriers and lived and breathed aloha. He taught people all across the world, the true meaning of sportsmanship, integrity and equality. This film will captive you and inspire you.”

Now in its 36th season on PBS, American Masters illuminates the lives and creative journeys of our nation’s most enduring artistic giants — those who have left an indelible impression on our cultural landscape — through compelling, unvarnished stories. To further explore the lives and works of more than 250 masters past and present, the American Masters website offers full episodes, film outtakes, filmmaker interviews, the podcast American Masters: Creative Spark, educational resources, digital original series and more. The series is a production of The WNET Group.

Sidewinder Films has an award-winning track record in sports-related films, including the acclaimed At the Heart of Gold: Inside the USA Gymnastics Scandal for HBO, which won TV Academy Honors, and the news making and Emmy-nominated Munich ’72 and Beyond for PBS. Sidewinder Films is a division of The Foundation for Global Sports Development, which supports initiatives that promote accessible, fair and abuse-free sport for youth through media and community-based effort.

The film is available for viewing for a limited time at the following LINK.

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