Saturday, October 24th, 2026 at 11:00am

Sag Harbor Cinema presents “Making Waves Together: Redefining Ability and Building Community Through Adaptive Surfing,” the latest installment of its Projections series, in partnership with Flow Surf Academy. 

The free program will feature a screening of The Athletes (2026), followed by a moderated conversation and Q&A exploring how adaptive surfing empowers neurodivergent individuals, challenges conventional ideas of athleticism, and fosters a sense of belonging both in and out of the water.

Panel Discussion:

• Bryan Downey — Director, The Athletes
• Heather Hartstein— Parent, Advocate & Board Member, Flow Surf Academy
• Shane Hartstein — Athlete, Flow Surf Academy
• Bob Miller — Founder & East Coast Director, Flow Surf Academy
•  Mark Lubell (Moderator) — Executive Director, Sag Harbor Cinema

ABOUT THE FILM

THE ATHLETES
Directed by Bryan Downey
USA | 2026 | 34 mins | English

Filmed from mid-June to mid-August on the beaches of Montauk, Bryan Downey’s The Athletes offers an intimate look at Flow Surf Academy, where neurodivergent individuals, ages 5 to 30, take to the waves with the support of a dedicated local community of near-peer volunteers and adults. Through interviews with families, volunteers, lifeguards, and surf instructors, the documentary reveals the trust and personal connections at the heart of the program. Some volunteers begin as beach helpers at just five years old, returning summer after summer to become near-peer mentors and surf coaches. Against the backdrop of Montauk’s surf, Downey captures a community where the ocean opens new possibilities and bonds formed on the beach extend far beyond the water.