In Waves Trailer: Netflix's Heartbreaking Animated Love Story
Will Sharpe and Stephanie Hsu star in Netflix's In Waves, a moving animated romance about young love, surfing and loss, based on AJ Dungo's acclaimed graphic novel.
Netflix has unveiled the official trailer for In Waves, an emotional animated romance exploring young love, heartbreak and the lasting impact of the people who change our lives.
Based on AJ Dungo's acclaimed graphic novel, the film follows AJ, a teenage skateboarder, and Kristen, a passionate surfer, whose unexpected romance unfolds against the sun-soaked beaches of Southern California.
As their relationship develops, Kristen introduces AJ to the world of surfing, opening his eyes to a new passion and bringing them closer together. Their seemingly perfect summer, however, takes a devastating turn when Kristen receives a life-changing medical diagnosis.
With their future suddenly uncertain, the couple must navigate the challenges of love, illness and the possibility of losing everything they had imagined together.
Will Sharpe, known for The White Lotus, voices AJ, while Stephanie Hsu, the Oscar-nominated star of Everything Everywhere All at Once, voices Kristen.
Directed by Phuong Mai Nguyen and written by Fanny Burdino and Samuel Doux, the film combines expressive animation with an intimate story inspired by real-life experiences.
Having screened at Cannes' Critics' Week and the Toronto International Film Festival, In Waves brings Dungo's deeply personal exploration of memory, grief and connection to the screen.
The official trailer highlights the film's distinctive visual style, capturing both the exhilarating freedom of the ocean and the emotional weight of a love story shaped by extraordinary circumstances.
In Waves opens in select cinemas on November 27, 2026, before arriving on Netflix on December 11, 2026.
