If you're struggling to maintain your summer fitness regimen, The Deepest Breath could be the motivational spark you need. This film makes running a marathon seem like a leisurely stroll in comparison.
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This compelling documentary by Laura McGann is a unique narrative of love with the treacherous world of free diving-an extreme sport where its enthusiasts dive towards the seabed often wearing nothing more than a wetsuit and nose plug. There is hardly any use of goggles due to the high air pressure causing eye blood vessels to rupture.
This endeavor is as mentally demanding as it is physically. Divers have to maintain concentration while reaching a detached mental state to endure the intense deep-sea pressure, capable of rupturing eardrums, collapsing lungs, and inducing blackouts. The late Russian champion free diver, Natalia Molchanova, mastered a technique of total mental emptiness and surrender to silence.
Molchanova's legacy and achievements greatly inspired Alessia Zecchini, one of the two leading figures in The Deepest Breath. This prodigious Italian began setting records while training among men in a Roman pool as a young girl, but she had to wait until she turned 18 to compete. A fellow diver in the film describes her as a "crazy head".
The documentary utilizes minimal direct interviews, instead relying mostly on past footage from training sessions and competitions. McGann started making The Deepest Breath after reading a news article about the tragic incident central to the film. With the free diving community's penchant for self-documentation and high-tech gear, she successfully integrates pre-existing footage with her own mesmerizing shots.
Besides Alessia, two pivotal interviewees emerge: her father, Enzo, and Stephen Keenan's father. Stephen, an Irish safety diver, only appears in older clips and is spoken about in the past tense. This lack of a surprise ending intensifies the film's inherent suspense. The portrayal of fear, exhilaration, and the hypnotic ocean depths create a compelling narrative.
Keenan was a charming adventurer who sought a life beyond his Dublin neighborhood. His father regrets leaving home when Keenan was still in school. Stephen was attached to his mother, who died from cancer when he was young. Spurred by his childhood admiration for David Attenborough, he embarked on a global journey, venturing across Congo, Sudan, Ethiopia. He established himself in the free-diving community in Dahab, Egypt, where he founded his own diving school.
Sharing an indomitable spirit and a love for the sport, Keenan and Zecchini formed a close bond. He became the coach who could channel the Italian's rebellious energy, guiding her towards multiple world records.
For a long time, Molchanova was the only female diver to pass through Dahab's notorious underwater archway. Having achieved recent triumphs, Zecchini eyed the daunting task. Her father, Enzo, remarks in an interview, "Once you start touching world records, that's when things get worrying."
The film's climax details their collaborative efforts leading up to a tragic event. Before their last dive, Keenan shared a video message with Zecchini: "Live for today, for you never know what's coming down the line." Their shared intoxication with underwater dreams and mutual attraction are evident. Though Keenan's life was tragically cut short, it's clear he discovered what he sought.
