Watch: Andy Irons: Kissed by God - Official Trailer

Ben Matson picture
Ben Matson (thermalben)
Swellnet Dispatch

It's been seven and half years since Andy Irons passed away in a hotel room in Dallas, Texas. Over the following years there were rumours of a documenatry, however it wasn't until 2016 that Andy: The Untold Story of Andy Irons was announced by filmmakers Steve and Todd Jones. 

An 'Official Teaser' for the retitled movie Andy Irons: Kissed By God was announced earlier this month, and in the last twenty four hours the 'Official Trailer' has been released. With production undertaken by Teton Gravity Research, it's sure to be an incredible film. 

Andy Irons: Kissed by God is a film about bipolar disorder and opioid addiction as seen through the life of three-time world champion surfer Andy Irons. Andy struggled with the same demons that millions of people worldwide battle with daily.

And from Billabong, here's the Andy Irons “I surf because” short film. 

Andy Irons is one of the world's greatest ever surfers. A 3 times world champion made famous by his epic battles with Kelly Slater. But outside all the victories Andy's life started to take a turn and his fire was starting to go out. He left the sport in search of himself and took it all back to basics. "I surf because... it keeps my life at an even keel, without it I would tip into oblivion."

Comments

goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot Wednesday, 25 Apr 2018 at 4:04pm

This could be good viewing

Nick Bone's picture
Nick Bone's picture
Nick Bone Wednesday, 25 Apr 2018 at 6:03pm

Watch the earlier teaser. The part with Slats nearly got me to tears.

dimdim's picture
dimdim's picture
dimdim Wednesday, 25 Apr 2018 at 6:19pm

About the only thing that would bring me to tears today is another article on Mick Fanning reminding us on what a great bloke he is . It must be 10 days now. Cheezus

memlasurf's picture
memlasurf's picture
memlasurf Thursday, 26 Apr 2018 at 1:38pm

Ha, ha I reckon Mick would laugh at that one too.

Tobiasl's picture
Tobiasl's picture
Tobiasl Thursday, 26 Apr 2018 at 12:06pm

Any word yet on where & when this will come to Oz?

memlasurf's picture
memlasurf's picture
memlasurf Thursday, 26 Apr 2018 at 1:49pm

Bit of a contrast with someone like Gabs who can't communicate, seems zero fun and is probably a tea totaller. Although me thinks Gabs may have a brain twist in common with Andy in that I reckon his is on the Aspergers spectrum. I want to see this movie so I hope in comes to our southern latitudes. I think I remember Stu calling into question the cover up of the reasons for his death at the time, and getting hammered by the WSL or whoever for his lack of respect. He was right on the money though and I still don't understand why they were trying to cover it up.

goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot Thursday, 26 Apr 2018 at 7:49pm

Mem i think you'll find with Medina English isn't his first language, so he comes across as though he cant communicate and a bit rude or whatever...
Im sure back home in Brazil when he's in his element he's just a normal mid 20's guy who loves to surf and chase hot women

memlasurf's picture
memlasurf's picture
memlasurf Thursday, 26 Apr 2018 at 10:24pm

Maybe. Watch this space.

srm's picture
srm's picture
srm Thursday, 26 Apr 2018 at 10:00pm

Andy's bi-polar referred to frequently in the trailer, i hope that the narrative from the movie isn't - Andy had bi-polar this led him to a path of destruction, drink, party and drugs, pressure all stemming from the underlying mental illness. I would hope it looks at the illness of addiction and how that can further impact/exacerbate mental illness....

lost's picture
lost's picture
lost Friday, 27 Apr 2018 at 11:47am

....i was thinking exactly the same thing. I've commented in earlier threads the need to call out his serious drug addiction and the fact it went completely ignored but the ASP and journalists. This looked real and raw and balanced on first trailer. I worry now it will blame prescription drugs only....

Where are we at with drug testing in surfing ?

memlasurf's picture
memlasurf's picture
memlasurf Thursday, 26 Apr 2018 at 10:35pm

Yep and the fact that perhaps many go on to happy lives, and it can be treated with medication if you want. Look at Richard Dreyfus the actor and Stephen Fry, both are still kicking and kicking well. I have banged on about this before, however I reckon the WSL really dropped the ball on this as he should not even have been competing. They should have some sort of support mechanism if someone is really going off the rails. Perhaps do a drug test say nup your on the sidelines until you get your act together and here are the sidelines. And then monitor it. Thats what other top sports do. Sounds like everyone knew about it but no one wanted to talk about it.

lost's picture
lost's picture
lost Friday, 27 Apr 2018 at 11:51am

100% agree. Even after his death no one wanted to talk about it. Instead they focused (and still do) on a 'In memory of Andy Irons' event. I know he was an incredible surfer and a friend and husband and wife etc so the need to be respectful but the complete gloss over his elicit drug addiction was disgusting.

dimdim's picture
dimdim's picture
dimdim Friday, 27 Apr 2018 at 12:00pm

Plenty of people wanted to talk about it and did.

lost's picture
lost's picture
lost Friday, 27 Apr 2018 at 12:10pm

In the media - surf or otherwise ?

dimdim's picture
dimdim's picture
dimdim Friday, 27 Apr 2018 at 12:47pm

Public domain.
The WSL and other industry groups only want to push their holier than thou sanitized dream to the masses.
Where is all the stuff on Surf Groupies,parties, ,substance imbibing,in the closet gay stuff and a whole range of other shit that a lot of people are interested in ? Maybe not you though.
People talked about Andy Irons all the time.

memlasurf's picture
memlasurf's picture
memlasurf Friday, 27 Apr 2018 at 12:59pm

Yeah dimmy (thats making me hungry), in AFL Buddy Franklin had depression aka heavy COKE addiction, and I don't mean the sugar drink. He had to take time to get over his ahem, depression. Everybody knew he filling his nose as fast as he could get the stuff yet they called it depression which pisses me off as it makes a mockery of the poor bastards who really have that affliction. I am not in the surf chatter loop so I didn't know Andy's story and the family and WSL were trying to keep a clamp on it.

dimdim's picture
dimdim's picture
dimdim Friday, 27 Apr 2018 at 1:52pm

Beyond me how Buddy boy tested negative after causing slight damage to multiple vehicles a few years back.

lost's picture
lost's picture
lost Friday, 27 Apr 2018 at 2:22pm

I agree with you about the sanatized WSL. that was where my critic was aimed and the surf media. They ignore it all

Wharfjunkie's picture
Wharfjunkie's picture
Wharfjunkie Friday, 27 Apr 2018 at 9:31pm

How would AI be seen if he wasn't an exceptional surfer?
How do you look at your run of the mill ice addicts if you see them in the street, supermarket etc?

So much focus on preserving his image when he was one someone suffering problems who had the resources to be treated and helped. The local crackhead doesn't have that WSL?Billabong failed this bloke.

Fieldy's picture
Fieldy's picture
Fieldy Sunday, 29 Apr 2018 at 4:19pm

Your exactly right!

Fieldy's picture
Fieldy's picture
Fieldy Sunday, 29 Apr 2018 at 4:19pm

Your exactly right!

goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot Sunday, 29 Apr 2018 at 5:57pm

Just watched the Andy “ I surf because..” clip again.
Farken hell thats sublime surfing.

On a different note, is Bruce clean these days?
I hung out with a bra boy who won’t be named here at Puerto for a few weeks in 2014. He had had a few nights out with Bruce when he had come to stay and party with Koby Abberton in Sydney.
Going off what this fella was saying it’s a wonder Bruce wasn’t the one who took it too far instead of Andy

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Sunday, 6 May 2018 at 10:15am

Longtom //another brilliant piece.
Beachgrit..

Island Bay's picture
Island Bay's picture
Island Bay Monday, 7 May 2018 at 3:27pm

I would like to join the ranks, please.
That was outstanding.

lawncigar's picture
lawncigar's picture
lawncigar Sunday, 6 May 2018 at 12:35pm

doped up, whatever, but him surfing Cloudbreak is some of the best wave riding i've ever seen.

Gary G's picture
Gary G's picture
Gary G Monday, 7 May 2018 at 2:16pm

Gary concurs with Udo's comment about the LongTom article. Sensational writing.

Gary doesn't have a BeachGrit account as his commenting relationship is monogamous, but knowing that the author frequents these pages wonders if he'd shed some light on something from that article (Gary, as a man who likes to watch unseen, understands if Longtom chooses not to comment).

In the Kissed by God article on BG you mention Nick C and Sean D as examples of industry journos, to whom you are most accountable, who looked the other way in relation to drug problems (Gary has also seen you take Nick C to task on this in relation to his TC book), and also link the two Melekian pieces post AI's death.

In the second one, Brad M takes a swipe at Chas Smith, who says something along the lines of 'people seeking the truth about Andy can go fuck themselves', which to Gary's eye reads like a similar stance.

Gary would feel that you're also pretty accountable to Chas...? If (and a big If), Chas still holds this opinion, have there been any interesting chats around the BG virtual office and are you able to resolve your seemingly opposing positions? Or is there a nuance that Gary is missing?

freeride76's picture
freeride76's picture
freeride76 Monday, 7 May 2018 at 3:07pm

Accountable? I'm just a sheeitkicking freelancer Gary G, accountable only to the tax man, and Chas recanted years ago, said he was full of shitt for saying that.

Gary G's picture
Gary G's picture
Gary G Monday, 7 May 2018 at 3:20pm

Cheers - Gary wasn't aware of Chas' walk-back on that one.

chook's picture
chook's picture
chook Monday, 7 May 2018 at 3:29pm

for all those that want to question the WSL, the media and nick carrol for not "doing something"...

have a look in your own backyard. if you are anything like me, then you all have family and friends who have drug problems. how about doing something for them? not so easy is it. i buried a mate last week. drank himself to death at 58. but somehow nick carrol could have and should have saved andy with a wisely worded article in a surf publication.