Take a quick look at Brianna Cope and you’ll see a girl who has it all: beauty, athleticism, an idyllic life in Hawaii, and the chance to be the best in her sport. While all of this is true, there is more to Brianna Cope. Brianna was born with a deformed left hand — an irreversible birth defect that took her parents and doctors by surprise.
Throughout her life, Brianna has endured teasing, bullying, and has struggled with her self-image. There was only one place where Brianna felt confident and that was in the ocean. Surfing became her method for coping with the endless teasing and insecurities that plagued her school years.
Brianna has never spoken publicly about her birth defect. When she’s not in the water, her hand is often closed or hidden behind her surfboard. She carefully curates her social media images to avoid showing it. Now in her 20s, Brianna is just now starting to accept her physical appearance and feels ready to talk about her hand in public.
This film gives the audience a very personal look inside Brianna’s life. She opens up about her childhood, her current struggles, and shows us a raw, unedited version of herself. As a professional surfer and role model to a younger generation, Brianna has realized that her personal story has the power to inspire and teach lessons of acceptance. Brianna wants to live by example, feeling proud of who she is and proving that she can rise above her physical and emotional challenges to pursue her dreams of becoming a champion surfer.
