A former professional surfer and the owner of the Pam Burridge Surf School, Pam said the documentary was a thrill to be a part of.

"We were all used to a bit of fame because we were pushing for equality in the sport when we were competing, but I can't believe that we're now part of a feature film," she said.

"It's been four years of going through the archives and doing interviews and now we're grateful it's here. Overall, it's been received really well."

Told over 30 years, Girls Can't Surf documents the journey of a "band of renegade surfers who took on the male-dominated professional surfing world to achieve equality and change the sport forever".

"It tells the brief history of the formative years of pro surfing in the 80s through the eyes of the female surfers there, as well as the culture and political overtones we were fighting against," said Pam.

"Despite all of that, we stuck around in the sport because we just loved doing what we were doing."

In the 80s and 90s, Pam became one of the best surfers in the world, and one of the most successful Australian sportswomen.

While she was able to excel at the sport she loved the most, she and her fellow female surfers were fighting against a culture of sexism that was rampant in the surfing world.

Pam explained some of the challenges she faced as a female surfer, including taking only half the prize money as male surfers.

"The money was definitely nowhere near equal to the men's," said Pam.

"But compared to zero dollars, it was still amazing.

"So at the start we had to put up with it, but five to 10 years on when our prize money was still low and the men's was increasing, it was hard to reconcile that we were in that environment.

"But we had to continuously hedge our bets on whether we should speak up, because we didn't want to get kicked out of the competition all together.

"We also had to deal with a lot of slurs from the men. It was hard to be proud of a club that was very disparaging at times."

Cutting through as a professional surfer at the young age of 15, Pam said she also struggled with finding her identity as a competitor.

"I was really well known really young at 15, and that's how I got a career and was able to travel to Hawaii as a surfer," she said.

"But I think I went pro a little too early, I found finding my identity challenging and I felt a bit lost at sea."

Despite the pay disparity, Pam said she "was never doing it for the money". Now, she's still relishing in her favourite sport, teaching others of all ages how to surf on the shores of Mollymook.

"The most rewarding part of having my surf school is helping people gain confidence and helping them tap into the power of the ocean instead of being terrified of it," she said.

"Seeing people reach out of their comfort zone and into the exciting world of surfing is the main reason I do it."

Directed by Christopher Nelius, the film also includes the stories of fomer pro surfers Pauline Menczer, Jodie Cooper, Wendy Botha, Frieda Zamba, Lisa Anderson and Layne Beachley.

Girls Can't Surf is now showing at the Huskisson Pictures and the Sussex Inlet Cinema.

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