Featuring
WRENNA DELGADO
One woman's quest to surf big waves
Bigger Than Me is a female coming-of-age film about the complexity of being a girl and the challenges that drive you as a woman to take on the elemental power of big waves.
Wrenna is a young woman with a fearless dream - a 6’ 2” natural with a body built for the ocean, she wants to be a big wave surfer. But she finds the discipline and sacrifice required to be a professional, extremely challenging. Growing up in New Jersey with hippy parents, her teenage years were spent caring for her younger siblings and schooling herself in the local library. At 19, Wrenna makes her pilgrimage to Hawaii's North Shore risking it all on big waves.
She is confronted by the pressures of carving out a professional sporting life as a woman and without a sponsor she works two jobs to support her dream. Filming over ten years, from Oahu’s iconic big wave, Waimea Bay to the cold waters of Mavericks to the ultimate big wave of Peahi (Jaws), we travel with Wrenna through the seasons, the highs and the lows of facing your fears - to find out how much bigger you can be.
RUN TIME: 53 mins
DIRECTOR: Claire Gorman
CAST: Wrenna Delgado
RATING: PG Mild Coarse Language
OFFICIAL SELECTION:
HAWAII INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL, WOMEN'S
SURF FILM FESTIVAL, SHE SURF FILM FESTIVAL
WINNER:
BEST FEMALE DIRECTOR, JERSEY SHORE FILM FESTIVAL
BEST
SURF GIRL FILM, TORONTO BEACHES FILM FESTIVAL
BEST SPORT FILM, TORONTO INTERNATIONAL WOMEN FILM FESTIVAL
BEST FEATURE FILM 2ND RUNNER UP, SURF CITY FESTIVAL
SEMI FINALIST BEST FEMALE FEATURE FILM DIRECTOR, PARIS WOMEN
FESTIVAL
HONOURABLE MENTION BEST FEATURE, SURF AT LISBON FILM FESTIVAL
director | producer | cinematographer | writer
claire gorman
Claire began her career in filmmaking working alongside renowned international wildlife cinematographer, David Parer, on Phillip Island for the series, 'Penguin Island'. At the age of 22 she directed, shot and co-edited her feature documentary, 'First Love' which follows three talented teens on their journey to making a career out of surfing, alongside some of the best names in women's surfing, including seven-time world champion Stephanie Gilmore. 'First Love' went on to have a theatrical release in Australia in 2011, and was selected for a number of film festivals winning Best Documentary at the X-Dance Film Festival (USA) where Claire also picked up the award for Emerging Filmmaker.
producer
anna grieve
As a Producer, Anna has over 25 years of television and independent production experience. From 2001-09, Anna was Film Australia Executive Producer responsible for an extensive production slate including 'Mabo' – the Native Title Revolution, winner of the UN Peace Prize for online and Logie winner 'Who Killed Dr Bogle & Mrs Chandler? '
Recent producing credits Irish/Australian feature musical - 'Death or Liberty' along with the multi platform - Big Stories Small Towns, winner of Best Community Interactive at SxSW. She produced Film Critics award winner Feature Documentary 'The Family' along with 'The Cult of The Family' series. In 2020 she was one of the producers on 'Looky Looky Here Comes Cooky.'
editor
lara benwell
Lara has always been drawn to stories that promote strong female leads. After graduating with a BA in Film, and post graduate degree in editing from AFTRS, and discovered her passion for documentaries working on the feature ‘You and Me’, which was awarded the ‘Nikon Surf movie of the Year’ by the Australian surf awards, and has since been featured in festivals, broadcast & VOD platforms worldwide.
Lara has worked as an editor on the feature, ‘Hot Mess’, ‘The Bench Series’, the tv series ‘On the Fringe' and the feature documentary, 'Handbag' about the unsung story of the 'fag hag' and her role as a gay activist, told through four generations of Australian women. in 2019 she worked on ABC series, 'The Heights'.
charlz
original music
Charlz has been capturing pop's zeitgeist in recent years, last year's ‘Colors’ with its subtle production and feel good vocals, was produced by Grammy award-winning producer M-Phazes (Eminem, Madonna, Lupe Fiasco) and landed in the US, Australian and Spotify’s Global Viral Top 50. Her release ‘About Last Night’ Landed in the Billboards Spotify Global Top 50. Charlz has been garnering support with tastemakers such as Beats 1, KCRW, Triple J, Notion, C-Heads, Indie Shuffle, Earmilk and Red Bull. In late 2017 Charlz landed a publishing deal with Kobalt Music and tour support for US R ’n’ B superstar Khalid. Following her work with various big name collaborators including Grammy award-winner M-Phazes, Grammy award-winner Latroit, Deadmau5 protégé ATTLAS, UK phenomenon Maths Time Jo, to French house music legend Fred Falke. Proving her strengths as a songwriter, Charlz collaboration with US group Classic Fiction, ‘Run’ was placed in HBO series Mrs Fletcher, as well as her latest single ‘Amaze Me’ being placed in the new Lexus campaign.
Listen to Charlz music here
cinematography
matt paul catalano
Matt has focused most of his time and passion in photography and filmmaking into the ocean. Having grown up on the Jersey Shore he was fascinated by it and the dynamic nature of the waves, surfing, and new perspectives that it brought both above and below the surface and along the journeys to find them. Graduating from Lehigh & Wake Forest University in 2004 with a BS in BIS he worked for IBM to 2012 in tandem with photography and filmmaking thanks to his flexible work engagement. Since his pursuit in the creative field he has worked with companies such as ESPN, HBO, BBC, CNN for online and TV related content and for lifestyle and fashion brands such as Vans & Patagonia. He has produced, directed, and shot for various projects including an international multi-team production for WeWork in 2019, Surfer and Surfing Magazines, lifestyle catalogs, portraits, commercial fashion assignments, and released a handful of surf video titles earlier on in his career.