Oceanic Films That Will Take Your Breath Away

NEWS | June 5, 2020

Along with our forests, the Atlantic, Pacific, Arctic and Indian Oceans form our planet's lungs and provide elements essential to its ecosystems. To celebrate World Ocean Day, Printemps.com has selected three odes to the seven seas, in all their beauty and richness.

The Cult Biopic: Dolphin Man

In 2018, thirty years after Luc Besson's famous Le Grand Bleu, director Lefteris Charitos turns his lens to the story of famous diver Jacques Mayol. The documentary traces the path of the extraordinary individual who would become the first free diver to go deeper than 100 meters. Nicknamed "the dolphin man," in pushing past his physical limits, Mayol made it possible for scientists to discover that human beings are capable of a "mammalian diving reflex." The physiological response allows them to withstand underwater pressure under 40 meters' depth in a process called "blood shift." For Jacques Mayol, diving was as athletic as it was spiritual, driving him to dedicate his life to protecting marine ecosystems.

The Stunning Fresco: Oceans

Jacques Perrin and Jacques Cluzaud, directors of Winged Migration, released their grand documentary on the ocean and its aquatic inhabitants in 2010. Immersed with marine flora and fauna, the film examines the traces that humans leave on wildlife and invites us to reflect on the impact of harmful fishing practices, pollution, and global warming. This incredible exploration of the ocean's mysteries required two years of preparation, four years of filming, twelve teams across fifty locations, and a host of new and innovative techniques.

The Contemporary Film: A Bigger Splash

Italian director Luca Guadagnino's thriller, released in 2016, spins the web of a privileged couple on a lover's romp. On an idyllic island in the Mediterranean, their peace is soon disturbed by two visitors come from afar. The feature's script, with its focus on the question of desire, is inspired by that of La Piscine (1969) starring Romy Schneider and Alain Delon. In this modern version of the New Wave classic, the sea plays a starring role along with actress Tilda Swinton — dressed in dreamy summer looks, she smolders in her role as the jaded Rockstar.