Key Points at a Glance
- Event
- Screening of the documentary On the Wave
- Date
- Hour
- Venue
- The Monaco Open Air Cinema, Chemin des Pêcheurs, 98000 Monaco (on thez Rocher)
- Co-organization
- ART VISION
- Price
- Free Entrance
- Movie Running Time
- 120 minutes
- Format
- 4K Cinemascope, sound Dolby Atmos
The Movie: The Story of Sebastian Steudtner
“On the Wave” chronicles the life and career of Sebastian Steudtner, the world record holder in big-wave surfing. Combining personal archives, on-location footage, and spectacular imagery, the film tells the story of how a boy who grew up far from the ocean became a pioneer of the world’s most extreme water sport.
From Bavaria to Hawaii, via Los Angeles, Ireland, and all the way to Nazaré in Portugal, the documentary follows this extraordinary journey, marked by successes, setbacks, and perseverance. The film also features the meeting between Sebastian Steudtner and his childhood hero, surfing legend Laird Hamilton.
More than just a portrait of an athlete, On the Wave is a deep dive into the world of giant waves and a reflection on resilience, passion, and the allure of extremes.
Who is Sebastian Steudtner?
Born in Bavaria on , and raised in Nuremberg, Germany, Sebastian Steudtner discovered the ocean at age ten during a family trip to Brittany. At age 16, he set off alone for Hawaii to become a surfer, where he was taken in by a Hawaiian family.
He won the XXL Big Wave Award in 2010, then found the setting for his greatest feats in Nazaré. There, in 2020, he rode a 26.21-meter wave, which was officially recognized in 2022 as the highest wave ever surfed. In April 2024, he broke his own record with a wave measured at 28.57 meters.
Outside of the water, he founded the nonprofit organization wirmachenwelle e.V., which uses surfing as a form of therapy to support young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, and he is an ambassador for Laureus Sport for Good.
Directors, producers, and contributors
- Directed by: Peter Wolf and Axel Gerdau
- Production: Leopold Hoesch, Emmy Award-winning producer and founder of BROADVIEW Pictures
- Executive Producers: Pelayo Cortina Koplowitz, Jürgen Klopp, and Wladimir Klitschko
- With : Sebastian Steudtner, Laird Hamilton, Maya Gabeira, Alex Botelho, Tom Butler, Bill Sharp, Sam George, Jimmy Lewis et Matt Warshaw
The trailer is available on Vimeo (opens in a new tab).
The Venue: The Monaco Open Air Cinema
Perched on the Rocher of Monaco, on Chemin des Pêcheurs, at the foot of the Oceanographic Museum, The Monaco Open Air Cinema has overlooked the Mediterranean since 2003. It is one of the Principality’s most iconic entertainment venues: every summer, from mid-June to early September, it screens a different film each evening, in the original language with French subtitles.
The venue features a terrace spanning more than 1,000 m², 500 seats with cushions, armchairs, and lounge chairs, a VIP area, and a bar. Its 200 m² screen is the largest outdoor movie screen in Europe.
For the 2026 season, the theater has installed a 4K RGB laser projector, one year after installing a Dolby 7.1 audio system: enough to deliver picture and sound quality that matches the giant waves in On the Wave.
The Monaco Open Air Cinema and the Cinéma des Beaux-Arts in Monte Carlo together make up the Cinémas de Monaco, a family-run institution where Arthur Tréhet is the third-generation owner and director. He explains that the open-air cinema does not offer online reservations because screenings depend on the weather.
The movie theater states on its official website that it does not accept reservations: be sure to arrive early to make the most of your evening.
Practical information and schedule: Monaco Open Air Cinema official website (opens in a new tab).
ART VISION, co-organizer of the event
This screening is co-organized by ART VISION, a digital communications and advertising agency based in Monaco. The agency designs websites, visual identities, advertising campaigns at the Cinéma de Monaco, urban display installations, digital artworks, and custom events.
ART VISION was founded by two sisters with complementary areas of expertise:
- Serena Bonomi Karkour, Director of Creative and Communications, with degrees in cultural law, art history, and art marketing;
- Fedora Bonomi Karkour, Web and Operations Project Manager, an engineer by training, holds a degree in chemistry from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL) and has training in UX design.
Their shared goal: to create impactful communication experiences by combining digital strategy, film, and event production. Meet the founders of ART VISION.
Privatize the Monaco Cinema
Would you like to offer your guests an experience as memorable as this evening? ART VISION offers exclusive use of the Monaco Cinemas for your VIP events, private screenings, previews, conferences, seminars, training sessions, product launches, and corporate events.
- The Monaco Open Air Cinema (Chemin des Pêcheurs): a terrace spanning over 1,000 m², a 200 m² screen, 500 seats, a VIP area, and a bar, all with a view of the Mediterranean. Available for private events outside of the summer season.
- Cinéma des Beaux-Arts (12 Avenue d’Ostende, Monte Carlo): Theater 1 with 196 seats, Theater 2 with 56 seats, 3D screenings, wheelchair access, and a cocktail lounge that can accommodate 100 people. Open year-round.
Professional audiovisual equipment, accessibility for people with disabilities, and additional services (popcorn, beverages, VIP reception, cocktail reception) are available depending on your project.
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