We’re excited to be premiering the trailer for Wild Goat Surf, a new coming-of-age drama written and directed by Caitlyn Sponheimer. The film premiered at the Vancouver International Film Festival in 2023, and recently screened at Canadian Film Fest.

Set in a rundown Okanagan Valley RV park during the summer of 2003, Wild Goat Surf is the story of a surfing-obsessed girl navigating the unbridled, unstructured summer days of youth.

Toronto actress Shayelin Martin (Workin’ Moms, American Gods) stars as Goat, a thirteen-year-old skater girl who dreams of becoming a surfer, just like her deceased father, despite living hundreds of kilometres away from the ocean. 

While her mother (played by Sponheimer) sublets their rental unauthorized and takes on two jobs during the bustling summer months, Goat is left to her own devices. As the summer days stretch on, she copes with her grief through rambunctious actions that soon go too far.

Wild Goat Surf was filmed in British Columbia’s stunning Okanagan Valley. Sponheimer told Deadline that she spent her summers in the region as a young girl. For her, the sun-soaked area known for its sprawling orchards and gorgeous landscapes was the ideal location for Goat’s story to unfold.

“It’s wild not many people know about it. The perfect backdrop to paint a portrait of a young girl chasing her dreams as she confronts a great loss,” said Sponheimer.

Wild Goat Surf is Sponheimer’s feature directorial debut. She was previously nominated for a Directors Guild of Canada award for her 2019 short film, Kitty’s Naughty Knickers.

From this first glimpse at the film, we’re loving how it portrays the carefree, wild adventures of youthful summers, but also the pains and joys of girlhood, the beauty of true friendship, and how loss can affect us in unexpected ways.

Watch the trailer below:

Want to be among the first to watch the film? You could win a pair of tickets to a Toronto screening of Wild Goat Surf on May 10, followed by a Q&A. Stay tuned to SheDoesTheCity’s socials and newsletter next week for your chance to win!

Wild Goat Surf opens in BC theatres on May 3, and in Toronto theatres on May 10.