“Waterman” nominated for 44th Emmy Awards
The Foundation for Global Sports Development and Sidewinder Films, producer of the award-winning documentary, Waterman, received a News and Docs Emmy nomination for Outstanding Historical Documentary.
Directed by Isaac Halasima, the film explores the journey of Duke Paoa Kahanamoku and his influence as a legendary swimmer, trailblazer, and the undisputed father of modern-day surfing.
Since the films theatrical release in 2021, Waterman climbed to the No. 1 documentary in America after two short weeks, screened at 37 film festivals across the world, and received 15 awards and accolades.
After seeing the film at the 2021 Florida Surf Film Festival, cast member and 11-time World Surf League champion Kelly Slater said “This movie outlines what seems to be a timely topic given our current civil situation but also brings everyone up to speed with the importance Duke played not only for surfing, but in the community at large in a time when people of color were rarely celebrated. His kindness and humility shone through some tough times in history, and he inspired people with his character, kindness and larger than life persona.”
The Foundation for Global Sports Development created Waterman, and its other films, to inspire curiosity and create a lasting impact.
“Like so many others, the Foundation has been inspired by Duke Kahanamoku’s Creed of Aloha, philosophy of inclusion, compassion, and responsibility,” said David Ulich, Waterman producer and executive board member of The Foundation for Global Sports Development. “A huge thank you to the many individuals, organizations, and teams involved in this project for putting their heart into honoring Duke, and making the international reach of this film possible. We couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate Duke’s birthday month this August.”
Judged by a pool of over 1,000 peer professionals from the television and streaming/digital media news and documentary industry, the 44th Annual News and Documentary Emmy Awards recognize outstanding programming content from more than 2,300 submissions that first aired in calendar year 2022. The complete list of nominees can be found at www.theemmys.tv.
The film’s director, producers, and cast will attend the live ceremony at New York City’s Palladium TimesSquare in September.