Beneath the waves of Rhode Island’s Easton’s Bay, surfer, life coach, and meditation teacher Damian Ewens takes on an improbable challenge—walking a large rock across the ocean floor, one breath at a time.
Filmed by award-winning filmmaker Kelly L. Riley, who held his own breath to capture each underwater moment, this meditative short film reveals how nature, breath, and presence can turn life’s heaviest moments into transformation.
Damian & filmmaker Kelly L. Riley
Resting between dives
The inaugural Ocean State of Mind Film Festival at the University of Rhode Island's Graduate School of Oceanography
Day 1 of the journey at Cliff Walk's 40 Steps
An incredible festival. They made up a new award for our film: Special Mention Ocean Healing! Thank you!
The rock is home! With my cousin Andrew Leys who came out more days than anyone and was there for our big final push before a hurricane hit the next day.
From Block Island, RI to Los Angeles, we got in the ocean at every film festival. This is a kelp bed in Laguna Beach. A family of dolphins swam out to greet us 15 minutes after this photo.
We were honored to show our film and earn recognition at these incredible film festivals around the world.
Tuckerman’s Rock was filmed and directed by the award-winning filmmaker Kelly L. Riley who decided that making films while breathing was too easy so he held his breath for every underwater scene.
Awards: Grand Jury Prize Winner Documentary Short: Mystic Film Festival, Winner Best Documentary Short: Block Island Film Festival, Winner Best Documentary Short SEA International Film Festival, Remy Platinum Award: Houston Independent Film Festival, Special Mention 'Ocean Healing': The Endless Summer & Dana Point Film Festival, Semi-Finalist Flickers Rhode Island Film Festival, Honorable Mention at the Australian Flotsam Surf Film Festival, Audience Award Creative Excellence: The Adventurers, Wanderers & Explorers Film Festival,
Official Selections: Independent Film Festival Boston, Montreal Independent Film Festival, Mystic Film Festival, the San Diego Undersea Film Festival, 9 Central Film Festival and the World Water Film Festival.
