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

The film recently won Best Documentary of 2018 by Surfer Magazine. 

“Kissed by God is the most emotionally charged and intricate film I have ever directed with my brother Todd,” says Steve Jones, Founder and President at Teton Gravity Research. “I am honored to have earned the deepest level of trust with the Irons family, to finally deliver the uncensored story of Andy’s life. To receive this award on a film of such sensitive subject matter around one of surfing’s most prolific figures is a huge honor.”

The Surfer Awards are often called “the biggest night in surfing.” 

“It’s the only event of its kind, where the entire surf industry gets together for one night to celebrate the best surfing and surf filmmaking of the year,” says Todd Prodanovich, Editor of Surfer Magazine. “This year was unique in that the Best Documentary category was the strongest it’s ever been, filled with some of the best surfing docs we’ve ever seen. For ‘Andy Irons: Kissed by God’ to win is a real triumph, but it also should come as no surprise to anyone who has seen the film. It’s a beautifully-told story about one of the most complex, dynamic, beloved and ultimately tragic figures surfing has ever had. ‘Andy Irons: Kissed by God’ was a film that the surf community truly needed.” 

As the opioid crisis rises to a national emergency in the United States and bipolar disorder affects approximately 5.7 million adult Americans (National Institute of Mental Health), the untold story of Irons’ life serves to tear down the myths associated with these two ferocious diseases. The documentary features in-depth interviews with Andy’s brother Bruce Irons, his wife Lyndie Irons, and fellow surfers Joel Parkinson, Nathan Fletcher, Sunny Garcia and Kelly Slater. In addition to the feature content, audiences will also view a Q&A with top experts in the field of opioid addiction and bipolar disorder, directors Steve and Todd Jones, as well as Andy’s friends and family.

This is a film about a person who lived life to the fullest, at the top of his industry, but did so facing insurmountable internal challenges. Fellow surfing champion and friend Kelly Slater said, “Andy was an absolutely gifted individual. I am lucky to have known him and had the times we had together. He was the most intense competitor I’ve ever known and one of the most sensitive people.”

More information about the film & ticketing: https://www.tetongravity.com/films/andy-irons-kissed-by-god

If you or a loved one are struggling with mental illness, please talk to your health care provider.

NAMI has a great deal of information for daily coping, and an emergency help line  1-800-950-NAMI (6264) or info@nami.org

https://www.nami.org/Find-Support