• Mar del Plata International Film Festival

  • London Surf Film Festival

    Best Documentary
  • Bansko Film Festival

  • Mendi Film Festival

  • Torello Mountain Film Festival

  • Mountain Film Graz

  • Florida Surf Film Festival

  • New Port Beach Film Festival

Synopsis

Spanish with English subtitles

With Joaquín Azulay, Julián Azulay, Ricardo Darín (narrator)

A visceral journey into the beating heart of the planet’s most remote wilderness, Antarctica – Domain One is an urgent cinematic testament to the beauty and fragility of Earth’s southernmost frontier.

Narrated by Ricardo Darín, this documentary follows the audacious expedition of the Gauchos del Mar brothers —sailors, surfers, and storytellers— as they voyage from Ushuaia to the icy waters of the South Shetland Islands and the Antarctic Peninsula. Battling gale-force winds, treacherous seas, and bone-chilling cold, the crew’s odyssey unfolds as an immersive adventure that transcends sport and spectacle.

Revealing the stark consequences of climate change on a continent that belongs to all humanity, the film has been screened at international environmental forums—including the United Nations Ocean Conference—where it is increasingly used as a tool for awareness and advocacy. Through breathtaking imagery and voices from renowned conservationists, the journey expands into a global campaign to protect Domain 1 as a vital Marine Protected Area at the core of Earth’s climate system.

About the Director
Joaquín and Julián Azulay are Argentine brothers, surfers and documentary filmmakers best known as Los Gauchos del Mar, a creative force behind a series of adventurous films that combine surfing, exploration and environmental advocacy. They were raised in a family with a deep surfing tradition: their father was one of the pioneers of the sport in Argentina in the 1960s, and both parents continue to surf to this day — a legacy that shaped their connection to the ocean from an early age.

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Their journey as Gauchos del Mar began in July 2010, when they left California with a van, surfboards, and the dream of surfing and camping their way down the Pacific coast back to Argentina. That first trip lasted 403 days, crossing 13 countries and more than 30,000 kilometers, and was documented in their debut film Sea Nomads: Surfing the American Pacific.

Since then, the Azulay brothers have dedicated over fifteen years to producing a body of work that transcends sport. Through films like Land of Patagones, Peninsula Mitre, Transcending Waves and their latest, Antarctica – Domain One, they use surfing as a gateway to explore remote landscapes, engage with diverse cultures, and raise awareness about environmental and social issues.

Their filmmaking stands out for combining adventure, intimacy and a strong conservation message. Through their work, Joaquín and Julián Azulay have garnered international recognition, awards at film festivals around the world, and a growing audience inspired by their pioneering spirit and commitment to ocean conservation.

Press

“With vertigo and constant exposure to danger, Antarctica - Domain One is a call for conservation, for safeguarding Antarctica. Through striking images, it shows the consequences of global warming on the continent, the threat posed by intensive krill fishing, and the importance of Marine Protected Areas.”Critica Sur

“A groundbreaking surf documentary that pushes the boundaries of adventure cinema. Directed by the renowned Gauchos del Mar brothers, the film chronicles an unprecedented expedition to chase waves in the most remote, inhospitable ocean on Earth.”ZigZag Magazine

Notes on the Film

“With Gauchos del Mar, we always aim for the message to go beyond sports and surfing. Our personal goal is to push the frontier of surfing and search for new waves. But what truly makes sense beyond that, and for humanity as a whole, is how films can help convey deeper messages.

In this case, the environmental message is to support the creation of a Marine Protected Area in Domain 1. The expedition highlights the challenges facing the Antarctic continent due to climate change, including glacier melting and subantarctic climatic conditions. For example, what has been happening in Península Mitre is beginning to replicate in the South Shetland Islands, which are part of the Antarctic continent, where mosses, plants, grasses, and even fungi are starting to appear. So the films go far beyond the search for waves; while that remains important to us, we feel that this broader purpose is what truly gives meaning to the expeditions.”

Joaquín Azulay and Julián Azulay, directors

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