A vital, independent document of a thriving American subculture.  We're talking surfing here, specifically the maverick female big wave surfers of Northern California.  Through the lens of filmmaker Dayla Soul we dive in with them into the icy waters as they pursue waves to be ridden and mastered.

Surfing in the Bay Area is not the skinny, bikini-babe lifestyle that is normally portrayed in the media. It is cold, foggy, and heavy in the Red Triangle, the natural habitat of the great white shark. On any given day, a female surfer at Ocean Beach will usually find that she is the only woman in sight.  We meet a variety of surfers, from the driven beginner to the professional big wave surfer and discover what it is that draws these women to surf these unforgiving waters.  

Fueled by a driving soundtrack, It Ain't Pretty is a loving portrait of rebellion, embodied by these powerful women and the passion that drives them to paddle out. -Chris Metzler