The BAFTA film awards longlists, announced on Jan 5. ahead of the final nominations on Jan. 18, featured many predictable names. “Barbie,” “Oppenheimer” and “Killers of the Flower Moon” dominated, while the likes of “Poor Things,” “Maestro,” “Saltburn,” “The Zone of Interest” and “All of Us Strangers” all fared well. But away from the best film and acting categories, some interesting features not in the spotlight find themselves vying for voters’ attention.
Landing two longlist spots is “The Deepest Breath,” Laura McGann’s critically-lauded documentary exploring the mesmerizing world of freediving, the extreme sport in which thrill-seekers plunge to the bottom of oceans, often for several minutes, with only the air in their bodies to rely on, pushing themselves to the very edges of physical capability.
As it sounds, the sport doesn’t come without some large degree of danger, and “The Deepest Breath” tells the story of two individuals — Italian champion...
Landing two longlist spots is “The Deepest Breath,” Laura McGann’s critically-lauded documentary exploring the mesmerizing world of freediving, the extreme sport in which thrill-seekers plunge to the bottom of oceans, often for several minutes, with only the air in their bodies to rely on, pushing themselves to the very edges of physical capability.
As it sounds, the sport doesn’t come without some large degree of danger, and “The Deepest Breath” tells the story of two individuals — Italian champion...
- 1/11/2024
- by Alex Ritman
- Variety Film + TV
Aka Mr. Chow
(HBO Documentary Films)
This portrait directed by Nick Hooker follows the life and career of painter turned restaurateur Michael Chow, the owner of the Mr Chow restaurant chain, as he returns to the art world with his first solo show in nearly 60 years.
American Symphony
(Netflix)
Matthew Heineman switches gears from following the front lines of the Mexican drug war (the Oscar-nominated Cartel Land) and the early days of the Covid crisis in New York City (The First Wave), this time helming an intimate profile of Late Night With Stephen Colbert bandleader Jon Batiste as he balances an incredible year of professional success while aiding his wife, writer Suleika Jaouad, through her battle with a rare form of cancer.
Anonymous Sister
(Long Shot Factory/Gravitas Ventures)
Emmy Award-winning director Jamie Boyle chronicles her family’s collision with the opioid epidemic. The film, currently holding a 100 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes,...
(HBO Documentary Films)
This portrait directed by Nick Hooker follows the life and career of painter turned restaurateur Michael Chow, the owner of the Mr Chow restaurant chain, as he returns to the art world with his first solo show in nearly 60 years.
American Symphony
(Netflix)
Matthew Heineman switches gears from following the front lines of the Mexican drug war (the Oscar-nominated Cartel Land) and the early days of the Covid crisis in New York City (The First Wave), this time helming an intimate profile of Late Night With Stephen Colbert bandleader Jon Batiste as he balances an incredible year of professional success while aiding his wife, writer Suleika Jaouad, through her battle with a rare form of cancer.
Anonymous Sister
(Long Shot Factory/Gravitas Ventures)
Emmy Award-winning director Jamie Boyle chronicles her family’s collision with the opioid epidemic. The film, currently holding a 100 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes,...
- 12/8/2023
- by Tyler Coates and Beatrice Verhoeven
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
For the 10th year in a row, the Scad Savannah Film Festival, the 26th edition of which ran from Oct. 21 through Oct. 28, was the place to be for documentary filmmakers and documentary lovers — specifically on Oct. 25, when The Hollywood Reporter presented and your humble correspondent hosted the fest’s Docs to Watch panel that brings together the directors of up to 10 of the year’s finest documentary features.
Over the past nine years, 45 films were nominated for the best documentary feature Oscar, 19 of which were first highlighted as Docs to Watch. And in seven of those nine years, one of the Docs to Watch went on to win the best documentary feature Oscar: 2015’s Amy, 2016’s O.J.: Made in America, 2017’s Icarus, 2018’s Free Solo, 2019’s American Factory, 2021’s Summer of Soul and 2022’s Navalny. (The other two eventual winners — 2014’s Citizenfour and 2020’s My Octopus Teacher — were not screened...
Over the past nine years, 45 films were nominated for the best documentary feature Oscar, 19 of which were first highlighted as Docs to Watch. And in seven of those nine years, one of the Docs to Watch went on to win the best documentary feature Oscar: 2015’s Amy, 2016’s O.J.: Made in America, 2017’s Icarus, 2018’s Free Solo, 2019’s American Factory, 2021’s Summer of Soul and 2022’s Navalny. (The other two eventual winners — 2014’s Citizenfour and 2020’s My Octopus Teacher — were not screened...
- 11/4/2023
- by Scott Feinberg
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Every year the race for the Oscar for best documentary feature gets more expensive and less inclusive.
The challenging doc marketplace favors a handful of big-name filmmakers commissioned to make one-off films or docuseries. During the last two years, directors of independently made docs, especially those tackling hard-hitting social issues, have been facing an uphill battle to secure distribution.
The major streaming services, who just a few years ago were spending millions to acquire indie fare, seem to no longer be interested in garnering titles out of festivals.
There have, of course, been exceptions. Matthew Heineman’s “American Symphony” sold to Netflix immediately after the film’s Telluride premiere in September, and HBO Documentary Films/Max picked up Joe Brewster and Michèle Stephenson’s Sundance Grand Jury Prize U.S. Documentary winner “Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project” eight months after it debuted in Park City. Netflix acquired Laura McGann...
The challenging doc marketplace favors a handful of big-name filmmakers commissioned to make one-off films or docuseries. During the last two years, directors of independently made docs, especially those tackling hard-hitting social issues, have been facing an uphill battle to secure distribution.
The major streaming services, who just a few years ago were spending millions to acquire indie fare, seem to no longer be interested in garnering titles out of festivals.
There have, of course, been exceptions. Matthew Heineman’s “American Symphony” sold to Netflix immediately after the film’s Telluride premiere in September, and HBO Documentary Films/Max picked up Joe Brewster and Michèle Stephenson’s Sundance Grand Jury Prize U.S. Documentary winner “Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project” eight months after it debuted in Park City. Netflix acquired Laura McGann...
- 11/3/2023
- by Addie Morfoot
- Variety Film + TV
The 2023 Cinema Eye Honors have unveiled the 20 titles for its Audience Choice Prize Long List, with voting now open.
The 17th annual awards ceremony also recognized the best nonfiction and documentary films and series across five Broadcast categories and a Shorts List with 10 of the year’s top documentary short films, as well as the 20 films in the running for the Audience Choice Prize Long List.
This year’s list includes films from Cinema Eye Honors alumni including “The Eternal Memory,” “American Symphony,” “Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie,” “Stamped from the Beginning,” “32 Sounds,” “A Compassionate Spy,” “Confessions of a Good Samaritan,” “The Mission,” “The Pigeon Tunnel,” and “Stephen Curry: Underrated.”
Hulu series “The 1619 Project” and Showtime’s “Nothing Lasts Forever” lead the Broadcast Film and Series nominations with three nods each. The “1619 Project,” adapted from Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones’s work with The New...
The 17th annual awards ceremony also recognized the best nonfiction and documentary films and series across five Broadcast categories and a Shorts List with 10 of the year’s top documentary short films, as well as the 20 films in the running for the Audience Choice Prize Long List.
This year’s list includes films from Cinema Eye Honors alumni including “The Eternal Memory,” “American Symphony,” “Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie,” “Stamped from the Beginning,” “32 Sounds,” “A Compassionate Spy,” “Confessions of a Good Samaritan,” “The Mission,” “The Pigeon Tunnel,” and “Stephen Curry: Underrated.”
Hulu series “The 1619 Project” and Showtime’s “Nothing Lasts Forever” lead the Broadcast Film and Series nominations with three nods each. The “1619 Project,” adapted from Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones’s work with The New...
- 10/19/2023
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
A host of Oscar hopefuls — among them Origin writer/director Ava DuVernay, May December director Todd Haynes, Saltburn writer/director Emerald Fennell and American Fiction writer/director Cord Jefferson — will head south later this month for the Scad Savannah Film Festival, a regional fest that has become a high-profile stop on the road to the Academy Awards, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.
The fest, which will run Oct. 21-28, will honor Jefferson with its Breakthrough Director Award (Oct. 22), Haynes with its Outstanding Achievement in Directing Award (Oct. 23), Fennell with its Spotlight Director Award (Oct. 24) and DuVernay with its Virtuoso Director Award (Oct. 28).
Other awards hopefuls set for honors: Barbie production designers Sarah Greenwood and Katie Spencer, who will receive the Outstanding Achievement in Production Design Award (Oct. 23); Maestro makeup artist Kazu Hiro, who will receive the Career Achivement Award (Oct. 24); The Bikeriders writer/director Jeff Nichols, who will receive the Auteur Award (Oct.
The fest, which will run Oct. 21-28, will honor Jefferson with its Breakthrough Director Award (Oct. 22), Haynes with its Outstanding Achievement in Directing Award (Oct. 23), Fennell with its Spotlight Director Award (Oct. 24) and DuVernay with its Virtuoso Director Award (Oct. 28).
Other awards hopefuls set for honors: Barbie production designers Sarah Greenwood and Katie Spencer, who will receive the Outstanding Achievement in Production Design Award (Oct. 23); Maestro makeup artist Kazu Hiro, who will receive the Career Achivement Award (Oct. 24); The Bikeriders writer/director Jeff Nichols, who will receive the Auteur Award (Oct.
- 10/6/2023
- by Scott Feinberg
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Few films this year have stirred us quite as much as Laura McGann’s profoundly moving documentary The Deepest Breath, which launched on Netflix this Summer. Recently we had the pleasure in speaking to one of the talking heads from the film, actor and free-diver Kristof Coenen.
For us audiences, and please note there are spoilers incoming – but we watch the film and we we witness the death of someone we only just met, and yet it hurts, we grieve the life of a man we got to know across then course of the documentary. But for Coenen, he lost a dear friend. In this poignant conversation he talks about sharing his very real grief with strangers, and how to begin with that wasn’t such an easy thing to make sense of. He talks about watching the film back, how it marks the legacy of his friend Stephen Keenan,...
For us audiences, and please note there are spoilers incoming – but we watch the film and we we witness the death of someone we only just met, and yet it hurts, we grieve the life of a man we got to know across then course of the documentary. But for Coenen, he lost a dear friend. In this poignant conversation he talks about sharing his very real grief with strangers, and how to begin with that wasn’t such an easy thing to make sense of. He talks about watching the film back, how it marks the legacy of his friend Stephen Keenan,...
- 10/6/2023
- by Stefan Pape
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
The Scad Savannah Film Festival, which takes place each year at the Savannah College of Art and Design shortly before the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences votes to determine its Oscar shortlists, and which has become a premier showcase for documentary programming, has revealed the names of the 10 documentary features that it will highlight on this year’s edition of its popular Docs to Watch panel.
The Docs to Watch gathering, which features discussion about the challenges and rewards of documentary filmmaking, will take place at the Lucas Theatre on the evening of Wednesday, Oct. 25, midway through the 26th edition of the fest, which will run from Oct. 21 through Oct. 28. For the 10th year in a row, it will be presented by The Hollywood Reporter and moderated by yours truly.
The films represented on this year’s Docs to Watch panel — all of which will also screen during the fest,...
The Docs to Watch gathering, which features discussion about the challenges and rewards of documentary filmmaking, will take place at the Lucas Theatre on the evening of Wednesday, Oct. 25, midway through the 26th edition of the fest, which will run from Oct. 21 through Oct. 28. For the 10th year in a row, it will be presented by The Hollywood Reporter and moderated by yours truly.
The films represented on this year’s Docs to Watch panel — all of which will also screen during the fest,...
- 9/21/2023
- by Scott Feinberg
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
This year’s best documentary feature Oscar race, which heretofore seemed unusually wide open, now has a frontrunner.
American Symphony, Oscar nominee Matthew Heineman’s moving portrait of the musician Jon Batiste as he experiences his greatest professional success (he dominated the 2022 Grammys) at the same time his wife faces her greatest personal challenge (Suleika Jaouad is battling leukemia), has been acquired by Netflix following a lengthy bidding war, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.
The film will be released this year and will be promoted with a major Oscar campaign in the works. Moreover, Barack Obama and Michelle Obama’s production company Higher Ground, which has a first-look deal with Netflix, is on board for the project, just as it was for two other recent Netflix films: 2019’s American Factory, which went on to win the best documentary feature Oscar, and for 2020’s Crip Camp, which was nominated for it.
American Symphony, Oscar nominee Matthew Heineman’s moving portrait of the musician Jon Batiste as he experiences his greatest professional success (he dominated the 2022 Grammys) at the same time his wife faces her greatest personal challenge (Suleika Jaouad is battling leukemia), has been acquired by Netflix following a lengthy bidding war, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.
The film will be released this year and will be promoted with a major Oscar campaign in the works. Moreover, Barack Obama and Michelle Obama’s production company Higher Ground, which has a first-look deal with Netflix, is on board for the project, just as it was for two other recent Netflix films: 2019’s American Factory, which went on to win the best documentary feature Oscar, and for 2020’s Crip Camp, which was nominated for it.
- 9/18/2023
- by Scott Feinberg
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
“The Deepest Breath” is a thrilling documentary from director Laura McGann and it’s about Italian freediver Alessa Zecchini on her quest to break a world record with the help of safety diver Stephen Keenan. Netflix bought the film’s distribution rights prior to its word premiere at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. I sat down with
The post “The Deepest Breath” appeared first on Manny the Movie Guy.
The post “The Deepest Breath” appeared first on Manny the Movie Guy.
- 7/24/2023
- by manny
- Manny the Movie Guy
Each week we highlight the noteworthy titles that have recently hit streaming platforms in the United States. Check out this week’s selections below and past round-ups here.
Babylon (Damien Chazelle)
Those seeking an insightful exploration of cinema history in Hollywood’s Golden Age or a nuanced, affecting character study on the lives within this early era will mostly like be disappointed by Damien Chazelle’s latest. Babylon is a brash, bombastic, unwieldy comic opera conveyed with enough bad taste and directorial panache that it—refreshingly—registers as a refutation of the well-mannered prestige drama to which these kinds of nostalgic odes often conform. And while there’s a touch of wistfulness in regards to the communal power of big-screen cinema, the film is more defined by an acidic unsentimentality, both when it comes to its characters and the precarious world they inhabit. Capturing the mad, violent clash of high...
Babylon (Damien Chazelle)
Those seeking an insightful exploration of cinema history in Hollywood’s Golden Age or a nuanced, affecting character study on the lives within this early era will mostly like be disappointed by Damien Chazelle’s latest. Babylon is a brash, bombastic, unwieldy comic opera conveyed with enough bad taste and directorial panache that it—refreshingly—registers as a refutation of the well-mannered prestige drama to which these kinds of nostalgic odes often conform. And while there’s a touch of wistfulness in regards to the communal power of big-screen cinema, the film is more defined by an acidic unsentimentality, both when it comes to its characters and the precarious world they inhabit. Capturing the mad, violent clash of high...
- 7/21/2023
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Alessia Zechinni, a remarkable Italian freediver, has earned a reputation as a record-breaker in her field, becoming the focal point of the latest Netflix documentary, The Deepest Breath. This gripping film not only delves into the perilous journey of freedivers but also illuminates their passion and dedication to their beloved sport. Within this captivating narrative, Alessia emerges as a shining example of dedication, passion, and fierce competitiveness, proving herself in one of the most treacherous and demanding sports in the world. Her achievements and triumphs stand as a testament to her unyielding spirit and determination in the face of extreme challenges.
The documentary masterfully captures her passion for perfection, showcasing how she fearlessly explores the depths of the ocean, pushing the boundaries of human capability. Alessia’s commitment to her craft and her ability to conquer seemingly insurmountable depths leave viewers in awe and admiration. Her journey from being a...
The documentary masterfully captures her passion for perfection, showcasing how she fearlessly explores the depths of the ocean, pushing the boundaries of human capability. Alessia’s commitment to her craft and her ability to conquer seemingly insurmountable depths leave viewers in awe and admiration. Her journey from being a...
- 7/20/2023
- by Poulami Nanda
- Film Fugitives
Human minds have an inherent craving for the wonder and mysteries that nature offers, yearning for a deep connection that transcends any kind of boundary. The Deepest Breath, a mesmerizing A24 documentary on Netflix masterfully directed by Laura McGann, unveils a breathtaking journey that captivates viewers, holding them spellbound in their seats. Through awe-inspiring cinematography, the film delves into the perilous world of freedivers, daring souls who embark on a profound quest to plunge into the ocean’s depths with nothing but a single breath to sustain them. As we bear witness to their extraordinary feats and profound vulnerability, the documentary serves as a reminder of humanity’s eternal bond with the natural world and the intrepid spirit that seeks to explore its most profound mysteries.
The Deepest Breath unfolds as a captivating love story between two remarkable individuals, Italian athlete Alessia Zechinni and safety diver Stephen Keenan, both dedicated freedivers.
The Deepest Breath unfolds as a captivating love story between two remarkable individuals, Italian athlete Alessia Zechinni and safety diver Stephen Keenan, both dedicated freedivers.
- 7/19/2023
- by Poulami Nanda
- Film Fugitives
It doesn’t take long for the new Netflix/A24 documentary The Deepest Breath to let you know an ill wind is blowing. “I accepted that she was doing a dangerous thing,” intones the father of Alessia Zecchini, one of the world’s elite freedivers. “Extreme sports have extreme consequences,” says the father of safety diver Stephen Keenan. Both parents have funereal looks on their faces as they speak. Zecchini and Keenan, the documentary’s principal characters, appear only in previously shot footage. The question isn’t if someone will die here,...
- 7/19/2023
- by Chris Vognar
- Rollingstone.com
The Deepest Breath Photo: Netflix
The Deepest Breath, Netflix, from July 19
Laura McGann brings home the sheer athleticism and courage of freediving as, for the first minutes of this film, you're likely to find yourself holding your breath like the participants as you watch a dive in real time. Her film interweaves the story of Italian freediver Alessia Zecchini and Irishman Stephen Keenan, who became the diver tasked with ensuring her safety on difficult dives. The level of danger involved - especially during the strenuous surfacing, when the divers are short of breath - is brought home as McGann charts Zecchini's dedication to the sport and the unusual route that Kennan took into it. This documentary proves gripping and poignant in equal measure.
Videodrome, 11.10pm, Legend (Freeview Channel 41), Tuesday, July 18
Jennie Kermode writes: Released in 1983, David Cronenberg's breakthrough hit has only become more relevant with time. It was inspired by the.
The Deepest Breath, Netflix, from July 19
Laura McGann brings home the sheer athleticism and courage of freediving as, for the first minutes of this film, you're likely to find yourself holding your breath like the participants as you watch a dive in real time. Her film interweaves the story of Italian freediver Alessia Zecchini and Irishman Stephen Keenan, who became the diver tasked with ensuring her safety on difficult dives. The level of danger involved - especially during the strenuous surfacing, when the divers are short of breath - is brought home as McGann charts Zecchini's dedication to the sport and the unusual route that Kennan took into it. This documentary proves gripping and poignant in equal measure.
Videodrome, 11.10pm, Legend (Freeview Channel 41), Tuesday, July 18
Jennie Kermode writes: Released in 1983, David Cronenberg's breakthrough hit has only become more relevant with time. It was inspired by the.
- 7/17/2023
- by Amber Wilkinson
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
A dangerous act is explored in a visually immersive new film taking us down to the depths and examining what causes those involved to take such major risks
Should you find yourself falling behind on your summer fitness goals, you might find late-breaking inspiration in The Deepest Breath, which makes running a marathon look like a mosey through the park.
Laura McGann’s stunning documentary is a love story embedded in the world of free diving, the deadly extreme sport whose practitioners plunge toward the ocean floor, often wearing nothing but a wetsuit and nose plug. (Goggles are out of the question since the air pressure would cause blood vessels in the eyes to burst.)...
Should you find yourself falling behind on your summer fitness goals, you might find late-breaking inspiration in The Deepest Breath, which makes running a marathon look like a mosey through the park.
Laura McGann’s stunning documentary is a love story embedded in the world of free diving, the deadly extreme sport whose practitioners plunge toward the ocean floor, often wearing nothing but a wetsuit and nose plug. (Goggles are out of the question since the air pressure would cause blood vessels in the eyes to burst.)...
- 7/10/2023
- by Lauren Mechling
- The Guardian - Film News
Italian freediver Alessia Zecchini holds a world record in her class of taking only three minutes and 38 seconds to descend an ocean depth of 109 meters. And she was just 18 when she set a prior world record in the deadly sport of freediving — now the subject of Laura McGann’s documentary “The Deepest Breath,” hoping to become the “Free Solo” of diving docs when it streams on Netflix on July 19.
In “The Deepest Breath,” Zecchini describes the depths of the ocean as the only quiet place left on Earth as she readies to set a new world record in one of the most dangerous extreme sports ever — to reach underwater depths without scuba gear.
Freedivers are regularly subject to blackouts when they return to the surface — with safety divers like Irish adventure-seeker Stephen Keenan at the ready to assist. Forming a bond, the pair started training together after they fell in...
In “The Deepest Breath,” Zecchini describes the depths of the ocean as the only quiet place left on Earth as she readies to set a new world record in one of the most dangerous extreme sports ever — to reach underwater depths without scuba gear.
Freedivers are regularly subject to blackouts when they return to the surface — with safety divers like Irish adventure-seeker Stephen Keenan at the ready to assist. Forming a bond, the pair started training together after they fell in...
- 6/20/2023
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
Given the buzz at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, you may have already heard of “The Deepest Breath.” Directed and written by Laura McGann, this documentary profiles Italian freediver Alessia Zecchini on her quest to break a world record with the help of safety diver Stephan Keenan.
Read More: 25 Most Anticipated Films At The Sundance Film Festival
Freediving, while sounding thrilling, is a dangerous extreme sport in which competitors attempt to reach the greatest depth without using scuba gear.
Continue reading ‘The Deepest Breath’ Trailer: Freedivers Push Their Limits In A Thrilling New Netflix Doc at The Playlist.
Read More: 25 Most Anticipated Films At The Sundance Film Festival
Freediving, while sounding thrilling, is a dangerous extreme sport in which competitors attempt to reach the greatest depth without using scuba gear.
Continue reading ‘The Deepest Breath’ Trailer: Freedivers Push Their Limits In A Thrilling New Netflix Doc at The Playlist.
- 6/20/2023
- by Edward Davis
- The Playlist
Netflix released the first trailer for the upcoming documentary “The Deepest Breath” on Tuesday. The new film, out next month on the streaming service, tells the heartbreaking true story of champion freediver Alessia Zecchini and her coach and safety expert Stephen Keenan, two people “destined for one another despite the different paths they took to meet at the pinnacle of the freediving world.” Told through archival footage and interviews, “The Deepest Breath” unfolds in almost real-time.
“I wanted the film to feel like going through life, not knowing anything until it happened,” director Laura McGann told Vanity Fair in an interview published Tuesday. “That way I could let viewers grow with Alessia and Steve, getting to know them organically.”
“The Deepest Breath” debuted earlier this year at the Sundance Film Festival to strong reviews.
“The world can probably be divided into two camps of people: those who will watch ‘The Deepest Breath,...
“I wanted the film to feel like going through life, not knowing anything until it happened,” director Laura McGann told Vanity Fair in an interview published Tuesday. “That way I could let viewers grow with Alessia and Steve, getting to know them organically.”
“The Deepest Breath” debuted earlier this year at the Sundance Film Festival to strong reviews.
“The world can probably be divided into two camps of people: those who will watch ‘The Deepest Breath,...
- 6/20/2023
- by Christopher Rosen
- Gold Derby
Premiering earlier this year at the Sundance Film Festival, Laura McGann’s documentary The Deepest Breath explores the life and passions of champion free-diver Alessia Zecchini. Accompanied by her safety diver, Stephen Keenan, they’ve dedicated their life to the extreme sport, which requires physical strength, mental determination, and an unwavering trust in the people who teach and support you along the way. Ahead of a July 19 release from Netflix, the first trailer has now arrived.
Jake Kring-Schreifels said in his review, “From the very beginning of The Deepest Breath, you know exactly what kind of documentary you’re in for. In the back of a car, director Laura McGann aims her camera at free-diver Alessia Zecchini and asks her a loaded question: “How do you think about death?” As you’ll later find out, Zecchini is in the midst of a global competition to swim deeper in one breath...
Jake Kring-Schreifels said in his review, “From the very beginning of The Deepest Breath, you know exactly what kind of documentary you’re in for. In the back of a car, director Laura McGann aims her camera at free-diver Alessia Zecchini and asks her a loaded question: “How do you think about death?” As you’ll later find out, Zecchini is in the midst of a global competition to swim deeper in one breath...
- 6/20/2023
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Record-setting Italian free diver Alessia Zecchini and her close friend, revered Irish safety diver Stephen Keenan, get the spotlight in the first trailer for Netflix’s new documentary feature, “The Deepest Breath.” The movie opens in select theaters July 14 and hits the streamer on July 19.
Per the official synopsis from Netflix: “Champion free diver Alessia Zecchini fell in love with the sport as a child growing up in Italy, astounding coaches with her raw talent and determination in pool swims and open water contests before she was even old enough to legally compete. Irish adventurer turned expert safety diver Stephen Keenan, meanwhile, was raised near the sea, but as a young man he set out on a quest to find himself, traveling across Africa before landing in Dahab, Egypt, and establishing a dive school. Despite their very different paths, the two would meet at the pinnacle of the competitive free diving world,...
Per the official synopsis from Netflix: “Champion free diver Alessia Zecchini fell in love with the sport as a child growing up in Italy, astounding coaches with her raw talent and determination in pool swims and open water contests before she was even old enough to legally compete. Irish adventurer turned expert safety diver Stephen Keenan, meanwhile, was raised near the sea, but as a young man he set out on a quest to find himself, traveling across Africa before landing in Dahab, Egypt, and establishing a dive school. Despite their very different paths, the two would meet at the pinnacle of the competitive free diving world,...
- 6/20/2023
- by Umberto Gonzalez
- The Wrap
Oscar winning documentary producer is at Sheffield DocFest with Chris Smith’s ‘Wham’ and Sundance hit The Deepest Breath.
Ventureland co-founder John Battsek knew the chance to tell a postive, upbeat story about the UK 1980s pop band Wham! could very well appeal to sought-after young audiences.
Wham! , directed by the US’ Chris Smith, was one of two new films with which the Oscar-winning documentary producer was at Sheffield DocFest in the UK last week. The other was Laura McGann’s Sundance hit, The Deepest Breath, about Italian freediving champion Alessia Zecchini, which was acquired by Netflix late last year.
Ventureland co-founder John Battsek knew the chance to tell a postive, upbeat story about the UK 1980s pop band Wham! could very well appeal to sought-after young audiences.
Wham! , directed by the US’ Chris Smith, was one of two new films with which the Oscar-winning documentary producer was at Sheffield DocFest in the UK last week. The other was Laura McGann’s Sundance hit, The Deepest Breath, about Italian freediving champion Alessia Zecchini, which was acquired by Netflix late last year.
- 6/19/2023
- by Geoffrey Macnab
- ScreenDaily
A beginner’s guide to freediving mixes with personal tales of determination and heroism to gripping effect in Laura McGann’s beautifully shot documentary.
The film, which had its UK premiere at Sheffield DocFest and will arrive on Netflix in July, literally drops us in at the deep end in its opening four or so minutes as we travel in real time down into the increasingly dark ocean with a diver, who will pluck a card from a set depth before swimming back to the surface, all on a single lungful of air.
The sequence is at once serene and terrifying, it turns out it's not the getting down that is the issue but the getting back up where things get dangerous. Danger is foregrounded here, not just by that initial dive but also by interviews that revolve around the exceptionally driven career of Italian freediver Alessia Zecchini and free-spirited Irishman Stephen.
The film, which had its UK premiere at Sheffield DocFest and will arrive on Netflix in July, literally drops us in at the deep end in its opening four or so minutes as we travel in real time down into the increasingly dark ocean with a diver, who will pluck a card from a set depth before swimming back to the surface, all on a single lungful of air.
The sequence is at once serene and terrifying, it turns out it's not the getting down that is the issue but the getting back up where things get dangerous. Danger is foregrounded here, not just by that initial dive but also by interviews that revolve around the exceptionally driven career of Italian freediver Alessia Zecchini and free-spirited Irishman Stephen.
- 6/17/2023
- by Amber Wilkinson
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
The Deepest Breath is a British documentary directed by Laura McGann, starring Alessia Zecchini and Stephen Keenan.
Descending to remarkable depths below the sea on one single breath, Alessia Zecchini enters what she describes as the last quiet place on Earth. The Italian champion is determined to set a new world record in freediving, a dangerous extreme sport in which competitors attempt to reach the greatest depth without the use of scuba gear. Freedivers are often subject to blackouts upon ascent, necessitating the help of safety divers like Stephen Keenan, a free-spirited Irish adventurer who fell in love with the sport in Dahab, Egypt. Having formed a special bond on the freediving circuit, Alessia and Stephen train together to make an attempt on Dahab’s legendary Blue Hole and its challenging 85-foot-long tunnel 184 feet below the Red Sea, their fates inextricably bound together.
Release Date
July 19
Where to watch The Deepest Breath...
Descending to remarkable depths below the sea on one single breath, Alessia Zecchini enters what she describes as the last quiet place on Earth. The Italian champion is determined to set a new world record in freediving, a dangerous extreme sport in which competitors attempt to reach the greatest depth without the use of scuba gear. Freedivers are often subject to blackouts upon ascent, necessitating the help of safety divers like Stephen Keenan, a free-spirited Irish adventurer who fell in love with the sport in Dahab, Egypt. Having formed a special bond on the freediving circuit, Alessia and Stephen train together to make an attempt on Dahab’s legendary Blue Hole and its challenging 85-foot-long tunnel 184 feet below the Red Sea, their fates inextricably bound together.
Release Date
July 19
Where to watch The Deepest Breath...
- 6/12/2023
- by Movies Martin Cid Magazine
- Martin Cid Magazine - Movies
Corporate consolidation, along with shrinking publicity budgets and streaming services’ willingness to bury their own content, have made film festivals and series increasingly desirable to documentary filmmakers who are not only seeking distribution, but also to those nonfiction helmers who have found a platform for their work.
The rocky landscape has made the competition fierce for a slot at not only top-tier festivals, but also regional film events like New York’s Rooftop Films’ Summer Series.
Over the course of the last year, Rooftop Films president Dan Nuxoll received 3,500 film submissions for the nonprofit organization’s 27th annual Summer Series, which kicks off on May 25. Only 23 feature films were accepted. (Not all films have been announced.)
Fourteen of the 23 features Nuxoll chose are documentaries. include high profile docs like Chris Smith’s “Wham!” (Netflix), Kristen Lovell and Zackary Drucker’s “The Stroll” (HBO Documentary Films), Sacha Jenkins’ “Louis Armstrong’s Black & Blues...
The rocky landscape has made the competition fierce for a slot at not only top-tier festivals, but also regional film events like New York’s Rooftop Films’ Summer Series.
Over the course of the last year, Rooftop Films president Dan Nuxoll received 3,500 film submissions for the nonprofit organization’s 27th annual Summer Series, which kicks off on May 25. Only 23 feature films were accepted. (Not all films have been announced.)
Fourteen of the 23 features Nuxoll chose are documentaries. include high profile docs like Chris Smith’s “Wham!” (Netflix), Kristen Lovell and Zackary Drucker’s “The Stroll” (HBO Documentary Films), Sacha Jenkins’ “Louis Armstrong’s Black & Blues...
- 5/25/2023
- by Addie Morfoot
- Variety Film + TV
Hot Docs has wrapped its 30th anniversary edition, handing out its top cash prize and announcing the audience top picks after an 11-day festival, which presented 214 films from 72 countries at 308 live screenings at venues across Toronto.
Philippe Falardeau’s “Lac-Mégantic—This Is Not an Accident” topped the overall audience poll to win the 2023 Hot Docs Audience Award. The four-part series from the Oscar-nominated director explores the causes of one of Canada’s worst rail disasters and what’s needed to prevent such accidents in the future.
“Someone Lives Here,” by Zack Russell, won the Rogers Audience Awards for Best Canadian Documentary, which comes with Cdn. $50,000 cash, and also claimed the second-highest spot in the overall audience poll. The film also won the inaugural Bill Nemtin Award for Best Social Impact Documentary, a jury-chosen prize, at the main awards ceremony held Saturday.
“Someone Lives Here”
“Someone” tells the story of Toronto carpenter Khaleel Seivwright,...
Philippe Falardeau’s “Lac-Mégantic—This Is Not an Accident” topped the overall audience poll to win the 2023 Hot Docs Audience Award. The four-part series from the Oscar-nominated director explores the causes of one of Canada’s worst rail disasters and what’s needed to prevent such accidents in the future.
“Someone Lives Here,” by Zack Russell, won the Rogers Audience Awards for Best Canadian Documentary, which comes with Cdn. $50,000 cash, and also claimed the second-highest spot in the overall audience poll. The film also won the inaugural Bill Nemtin Award for Best Social Impact Documentary, a jury-chosen prize, at the main awards ceremony held Saturday.
“Someone Lives Here”
“Someone” tells the story of Toronto carpenter Khaleel Seivwright,...
- 5/8/2023
- by Jennie Punter
- Variety Film + TV
It’s almost summer in the city, and you might as well rot in the sun with some of the year’s best indie films.
Rooftop Films, one of the longest-running outdoor showcases for indie films globally, has revealed its 2023 lineup, which IndieWire shares exclusively below.
Throughout New York City parks and outdoor landmarks, the Summer Series runs May 25 through August 24 with over 45 events featuring new independent feature films, short film programs, and live performances. Highlights include screenings of Bill Pohlad’s Donnie and Joe Emerson biopic “Dreamin’ Wild,” Savanah Leaf’s A24 drama “Earth Mama,” Eva Longoria’s directing debut “Flamin’ Hot,” and Christopher Sharp and Moses Bwayo’s “Bobi Wine: The People’s President.”
But you can also catch festival favorites like Sundance Grand Jury Prize (World Cinema) winner “Scrapper” from writer-director Charlotte Regan, Laura Moss’s horror entry “birth/rebirth,” D. Smith’s Sundance Award-winning trans documentary “Kokomo City,...
Rooftop Films, one of the longest-running outdoor showcases for indie films globally, has revealed its 2023 lineup, which IndieWire shares exclusively below.
Throughout New York City parks and outdoor landmarks, the Summer Series runs May 25 through August 24 with over 45 events featuring new independent feature films, short film programs, and live performances. Highlights include screenings of Bill Pohlad’s Donnie and Joe Emerson biopic “Dreamin’ Wild,” Savanah Leaf’s A24 drama “Earth Mama,” Eva Longoria’s directing debut “Flamin’ Hot,” and Christopher Sharp and Moses Bwayo’s “Bobi Wine: The People’s President.”
But you can also catch festival favorites like Sundance Grand Jury Prize (World Cinema) winner “Scrapper” from writer-director Charlotte Regan, Laura Moss’s horror entry “birth/rebirth,” D. Smith’s Sundance Award-winning trans documentary “Kokomo City,...
- 5/4/2023
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
Despite a dismal documentary distribution landscape, hundreds of nonfiction filmmakers are heading to Toronto for the 30th edition of Hot Docs Canadian Intl. Documentary Festival determined to sell their independently made docus.
This year, Hot Docs’ programming director Shane Smith selected 214 films from 2848 submissions to screen in-person and online beginning April 27. The slate of nonfiction films from 72 countries will be spread across 13 programs and will feature 70 world and 33 international premieres.
“Part of our value proposition is really mining all of the corners and shining a light in all of the corners of the documentary landscape,” Smith tells Variety. “Kanopy and Tenk are going to be here as well as the bigger players like Netflix. So, we are looking to be a valuable resource for the entire landscape of documentary. Not every film is one that the streamers are going to acquire, but there’s a home for every doc that we show in the festival.
This year, Hot Docs’ programming director Shane Smith selected 214 films from 2848 submissions to screen in-person and online beginning April 27. The slate of nonfiction films from 72 countries will be spread across 13 programs and will feature 70 world and 33 international premieres.
“Part of our value proposition is really mining all of the corners and shining a light in all of the corners of the documentary landscape,” Smith tells Variety. “Kanopy and Tenk are going to be here as well as the bigger players like Netflix. So, we are looking to be a valuable resource for the entire landscape of documentary. Not every film is one that the streamers are going to acquire, but there’s a home for every doc that we show in the festival.
- 4/27/2023
- by Addie Morfoot
- Variety Film + TV
With Sara Dosa’s Fire of Love earning a well-deserved Oscar nomination and Laura McGann’s The Deepest Breath getting a buzzy Sundance bow, the documentary subgenre of romances forged against photogenic and death-defying backdrops (sometimes featuring real-life tragedy) continues to thrive.
Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin, who won an Academy Award for Free Solo, one of the best films of this type, are back on tangentially similar terrain with Wild Life, an SXSW premiere that will get a brief theatrical run before hitting NatGeo. Less an adrenaline-filled suspense piece than Free Solo, Wild Life is a sad and inspiring love story, as well as a portrait of great wealth put to humanity’s common good, even if it glosses over a number of ethical head-scratchers. It’s still beautiful to look at, but I most enjoyed Wild Life as a complicated procedural about land use (don’t expect...
Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin, who won an Academy Award for Free Solo, one of the best films of this type, are back on tangentially similar terrain with Wild Life, an SXSW premiere that will get a brief theatrical run before hitting NatGeo. Less an adrenaline-filled suspense piece than Free Solo, Wild Life is a sad and inspiring love story, as well as a portrait of great wealth put to humanity’s common good, even if it glosses over a number of ethical head-scratchers. It’s still beautiful to look at, but I most enjoyed Wild Life as a complicated procedural about land use (don’t expect...
- 3/15/2023
- by Daniel Fienberg
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Italian freediver Alessia Zecchini and Irish safety diver Stephen Keenan set their sights on the famous Blue Hole located 184 feet below the Red Sea in The Deepest Breath from documentary filmmaker Laura McGann. Hell-bent on breaking a new world record, Alessia trains to make the seemingly impossible oceanic descent by holding one single breath without the aid of any scuba gear. Cinematographer Tim Cragg discusses his artistic vision on the shoot, which also featured technological complications. See all responses to our annual Sundance cinematographer interviews here. Filmmaker: How and why did you wind up being the cinematographer of your […]
The post “An Escape to the Coolest Boho Pad on the Beach”: Dp Tim Cragg on The Deepest Breath first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post “An Escape to the Coolest Boho Pad on the Beach”: Dp Tim Cragg on The Deepest Breath first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 2/6/2023
- by Filmmaker Staff
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
Italian freediver Alessia Zecchini and Irish safety diver Stephen Keenan set their sights on the famous Blue Hole located 184 feet below the Red Sea in The Deepest Breath from documentary filmmaker Laura McGann. Hell-bent on breaking a new world record, Alessia trains to make the seemingly impossible oceanic descent by holding one single breath without the aid of any scuba gear. Cinematographer Tim Cragg discusses his artistic vision on the shoot, which also featured technological complications. See all responses to our annual Sundance cinematographer interviews here. Filmmaker: How and why did you wind up being the cinematographer of your […]
The post “An Escape to the Coolest Boho Pad on the Beach”: Dp Tim Cragg on The Deepest Breath first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post “An Escape to the Coolest Boho Pad on the Beach”: Dp Tim Cragg on The Deepest Breath first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 2/6/2023
- by Filmmaker Staff
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
In Laura McGann’s documentary The Deepest Breath, Italian freediver Alessia Zecchini strives to set the new world record in the extreme sport that entails descending to unimaginable oceanic depths without the use of scuba gear. Due to the high risk of blacking out upon ascension, safety divers like Stephen Keenan are vital for ensuring the safety of those who undertake these challenging dives. Forming an intense bond, Alessia and Stephen set their sights on the legendary Blue Hole in Dahab, Egypt, an 85-foot-long tunnel that plummets 184 feet below the Red Sea. Editor Julian Hart discusses cutting the film, which […]
The post “In This Case, Starting at the End Made Sense”: Editor Julian Hart on The Deepest Breath first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post “In This Case, Starting at the End Made Sense”: Editor Julian Hart on The Deepest Breath first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 2/6/2023
- by Filmmaker Staff
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
In Laura McGann’s documentary The Deepest Breath, Italian freediver Alessia Zecchini strives to set the new world record in the extreme sport that entails descending to unimaginable oceanic depths without the use of scuba gear. Due to the high risk of blacking out upon ascension, safety divers like Stephen Keenan are vital for ensuring the safety of those who undertake these challenging dives. Forming an intense bond, Alessia and Stephen set their sights on the legendary Blue Hole in Dahab, Egypt, an 85-foot-long tunnel that plummets 184 feet below the Red Sea. Editor Julian Hart discusses cutting the film, which […]
The post “In This Case, Starting at the End Made Sense”: Editor Julian Hart on The Deepest Breath first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post “In This Case, Starting at the End Made Sense”: Editor Julian Hart on The Deepest Breath first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 2/6/2023
- by Filmmaker Staff
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
Every production faces unexpected obstructions that require creative solutions and conceptual rethinking. What was an unforeseen obstacle, crisis, or simply unpredictable event you had to respond to, and how did this event impact or cause you to rethink your film? Starting out, I was acutely aware that freediving was a really intriguing world that I knew nothing about; I had a lot to learn before I could start to understand the powerful story of our central subjects, Stephen and Alessia. We spent hundreds of hours having conversations with over 50 people on Zoom to learn more. It became clear that […]
The post “Participants Were Spread Over 10 Countries” | Laura McGann, The Deepest Breath first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post “Participants Were Spread Over 10 Countries” | Laura McGann, The Deepest Breath first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 2/6/2023
- by Filmmaker Staff
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
Every production faces unexpected obstructions that require creative solutions and conceptual rethinking. What was an unforeseen obstacle, crisis, or simply unpredictable event you had to respond to, and how did this event impact or cause you to rethink your film? Starting out, I was acutely aware that freediving was a really intriguing world that I knew nothing about; I had a lot to learn before I could start to understand the powerful story of our central subjects, Stephen and Alessia. We spent hundreds of hours having conversations with over 50 people on Zoom to learn more. It became clear that […]
The post “Participants Were Spread Over 10 Countries” | Laura McGann, The Deepest Breath first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post “Participants Were Spread Over 10 Countries” | Laura McGann, The Deepest Breath first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 2/6/2023
- by Filmmaker Staff
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
The world can probably be divided into two camps of people: those who will watch “The Deepest Breath,” a heart-pumping documentary on the extreme sport of free-diving, and understand the dangerous pull of the big blue, and those for whom it might be the most nightmarish vicarious trip into the ocean since “Jaws.” Both factions, however, are likely to be compelled by Laura McGann’s handsomely produced crowdpleaser, which employs startling underwater photography and some canny reconstruction to make immediate on screen a potentially obscure calling. The human narrative it finds amid this spectacle, however, is a little less persuasive, marred by an ill-advised decision to play life-and-death scenarios for suspense.
That won’t deter a large audience from seeking out this A24-produced Sundance premiere when it’s released onto Netflix later this year, though it is a film that will play better theatrically — for the most literally immersive...
That won’t deter a large audience from seeking out this A24-produced Sundance premiere when it’s released onto Netflix later this year, though it is a film that will play better theatrically — for the most literally immersive...
- 1/29/2023
- by Guy Lodge
- Variety Film + TV
All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt
Poet-turned-filmmaker Raven Jackson uses elegantly composed vignettes, minimal dialogue and an immersive style to explore the life of a Black woman in the rural South in her eloquent feature, produced by Barry Jenkins. The story follows Mack (Charleen McClure) across several decades, the fragments of her life coming together in a risky, beautifully realized film. — Caryn James
Cassandro
Gael García Bernal nails his best role in years as groundbreaking lucha libre wrestler Saúl Armendáriz, his performance steeped in cheeky humor, resilience and radical self-belief — not to mention some amazingly nimble moves. Roger Ross Williams’ assured narrative is an exhilarating exploration of fearless queer identity in a macho environment. — David Rooney
The Deepest Breath
Filled with eye-popping visuals, thrilling competitions and a deftly presented love story, Laura McGann’s documentary feature tells of a record-breaking free diver and a heroic safety diver whose lives intersect.
Poet-turned-filmmaker Raven Jackson uses elegantly composed vignettes, minimal dialogue and an immersive style to explore the life of a Black woman in the rural South in her eloquent feature, produced by Barry Jenkins. The story follows Mack (Charleen McClure) across several decades, the fragments of her life coming together in a risky, beautifully realized film. — Caryn James
Cassandro
Gael García Bernal nails his best role in years as groundbreaking lucha libre wrestler Saúl Armendáriz, his performance steeped in cheeky humor, resilience and radical self-belief — not to mention some amazingly nimble moves. Roger Ross Williams’ assured narrative is an exhilarating exploration of fearless queer identity in a macho environment. — David Rooney
The Deepest Breath
Filled with eye-popping visuals, thrilling competitions and a deftly presented love story, Laura McGann’s documentary feature tells of a record-breaking free diver and a heroic safety diver whose lives intersect.
- 1/28/2023
- by David Rooney, Sheri Linden, Lovia Gyarkye, Jon Frosch, Daniel Fienberg, Robyn Bahr and Justin Lowe
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
"Extreme sports have extreme consequences." So says the father of safety diver Stephen Keenan in Laura McGann's "The Deepest Breath," a documentary set in the world of freediving, a sport in which competitors dive to the deepest depths possible without the aid of scuba tanks. The danger is established in its opening moments, as the camera plunges underwater with a diver and follows her back upward, only for her to black out just a few meters from the surface. That type of physical response to the incredible stress of these dives is fairly common, and luckily, the professionals have safety divers tracking their progress, on the lookout for warning signs and ready to save lives at a moment's notice. Stephen Keenan was one such safety diver, an Irish adventurer and wanderer who found his purpose deep in the waters off the Egyptian coast. But something happened to Stephen. He's...
- 1/27/2023
- by Ben Pearson
- Slash Film
I did not know what I was getting into with The Deepest Breath. I did not know I was about to watch one of my favorite documentaries of the year. I went on a journey with all these people and can never forget this experience. The Deepest Breath is a extraordinary and awe-inspiring work of cinematic art. I was lucky to attend the world premiere screening at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival of this A24 / Netflix co-production, directed by Irish filmmaker Laura McGann. This exceptional documentary film is this year's Fire of Love (nominated for an Oscar!) – both films follow the beautiful story of a couple, examining their lives living on the edge and doing something radical that few other people on this planet do. The Deepest Breath is about a freediving couple and the incredibly dangerous sport of freediving - the act of holding your breath for long periods of time while diving or swimming.
- 1/25/2023
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
From the very beginning of The Deepest Breath, you know exactly what kind of documentary you’re in for. In the back of a car, director Laura McGann aims her camera at free-diver Alessia Zecchini and asks her a loaded question: “How do you think about death?” As you’ll later find out, Zecchini is in the midst of a global competition to swim deeper in one breath than anyone has ever done before. But the question is valid––especially when McGann cuts to the serene, crystal-blue footage of Zecchini paddling into the depths of the ocean. The camera follows her descent and subsequent sprint to the surface, where her brain loses function right before breaching; her eyes roll back while safety instructors begin performing CPR. “I’m not afraid of death,” she answers. When she regains consciousness, ready to dive again, you believe her.
It might be impossible to...
It might be impossible to...
- 1/25/2023
- by Jake Kring-Schreifels
- The Film Stage
Every year, IndieWire reaches out to the cinematographers behind the films premiering at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival, and asks which cameras, lenses, and formats they used, and why they chose them to create the looks and meet the production demands of their films. Here are the responses from filmmakers who brought documentaries to the festival; click here to read our survey of the year’s scripted narrative features.
Films appear in alphabetical order by title.
“Bad Press”
Dir: Rebecca Landsberry-Baker and Joe Peeler DoP: Tyler Graim
Format: 4K Canon C-Log 2.35
Camera: Canon C300 Mark II
Lens: Angénieux Optimo 16-40mm and 30-76mm, Zeiss Cz.2 70-200mm, Canon MP-e 65mm macro, Lensbaby Composer Pro
Graim: As cinematographer on “Bad Press,” my main goal was to make sure the textures, colors, and feeling of Muscogee Nation permeate the screen. The Canon image feels very true to life, but also gives me...
Films appear in alphabetical order by title.
“Bad Press”
Dir: Rebecca Landsberry-Baker and Joe Peeler DoP: Tyler Graim
Format: 4K Canon C-Log 2.35
Camera: Canon C300 Mark II
Lens: Angénieux Optimo 16-40mm and 30-76mm, Zeiss Cz.2 70-200mm, Canon MP-e 65mm macro, Lensbaby Composer Pro
Graim: As cinematographer on “Bad Press,” my main goal was to make sure the textures, colors, and feeling of Muscogee Nation permeate the screen. The Canon image feels very true to life, but also gives me...
- 1/24/2023
- by Jim Hemphill and Sarah Shachat
- Indiewire
Editor’s note: This review was originally published at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. Netflix releases the film on its streaming platform on Friday, July 21.
There are several key differences between “The Deepest Breath” and “Free Solo,” the Oscar-winning extreme sports documentary to which Laura McGann’s similarly harrowing and exultant non-fiction film begs — but only somewhat deserves — comparison.
To begin with the most obvious: One film is about climbing without a rope, while the other is about diving without a tank. On a slightly more nuanced level, one plays like a queasy tribute to a thrill-seeker who reached his peak despite meeting the love of his life, while the other unfolds like a heartsick elegy for a couple of athletes whose luck may have run out just after they found each other. Both of these films are suspenseful enough to leave you gasping for air, and both of them hinge...
There are several key differences between “The Deepest Breath” and “Free Solo,” the Oscar-winning extreme sports documentary to which Laura McGann’s similarly harrowing and exultant non-fiction film begs — but only somewhat deserves — comparison.
To begin with the most obvious: One film is about climbing without a rope, while the other is about diving without a tank. On a slightly more nuanced level, one plays like a queasy tribute to a thrill-seeker who reached his peak despite meeting the love of his life, while the other unfolds like a heartsick elegy for a couple of athletes whose luck may have run out just after they found each other. Both of these films are suspenseful enough to leave you gasping for air, and both of them hinge...
- 1/21/2023
- by David Ehrlich
- Indiewire
The threat of imminent death gives a trite and morbid focus to “The Deepest Breath,” an otherwise moving documentary tribute to the record-setting Italian freediver Alessia Zecchini and her close friend, revered Irish safety diver Stephen Keenan. The best scenes, directed by Laura McGann, present freediving as a haunting and impressionistic collage of hand-held diving footage.
Zecchini and Keenan’s experiences tend to be defined by the high risks that they took whenever they plunged underwater to depths of 100+ meters. Zecchini isn’t even featured in on-camera interviews until it’s clear that she survived while Keenan did not, a narrative contrivance that says more about the makers of “The Deepest Breath” than it does their subjects.
The retrospective nature of this documentary character study requires some creative liberties, but treating one of your two main characters like a special guest in her own movie suggests that telling a better...
Zecchini and Keenan’s experiences tend to be defined by the high risks that they took whenever they plunged underwater to depths of 100+ meters. Zecchini isn’t even featured in on-camera interviews until it’s clear that she survived while Keenan did not, a narrative contrivance that says more about the makers of “The Deepest Breath” than it does their subjects.
The retrospective nature of this documentary character study requires some creative liberties, but treating one of your two main characters like a special guest in her own movie suggests that telling a better...
- 1/21/2023
- by Simon Abrams
- The Wrap
When it comes to entertainment, we’re a suggestible species. Cooking shows make us salivate. Musicals make us hum along. I’ve been known to randomly cheer (and/or cry) when watching an underdog sports story.
Be very careful when watching Laura McGann’s Netflix and A24 documentary The Deepest Breath. This chronicle of the precarious, haunting and near-mystical world of freediving will make you want to join the competitors in breath-holding as you follow their journeys to aquatic depths. You’ll want to. You may not be able to resist. But you should probably resist. The freedivers? Well, they should also probably resist, but The Deepest Breath fits into a recent tradition of documentaries about extreme athletes whose commitment to events in which death is an accepted consequence beggars common sense, if not belief.
In the most literal sense, The Deepest Breath is a breathtaking documentary, one filled with eye-popping visuals,...
Be very careful when watching Laura McGann’s Netflix and A24 documentary The Deepest Breath. This chronicle of the precarious, haunting and near-mystical world of freediving will make you want to join the competitors in breath-holding as you follow their journeys to aquatic depths. You’ll want to. You may not be able to resist. But you should probably resist. The freedivers? Well, they should also probably resist, but The Deepest Breath fits into a recent tradition of documentaries about extreme athletes whose commitment to events in which death is an accepted consequence beggars common sense, if not belief.
In the most literal sense, The Deepest Breath is a breathtaking documentary, one filled with eye-popping visuals,...
- 1/21/2023
- by Daniel Fienberg
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Hollywood hasn’t even busted out the Moncler jackets or Bogner boots yet, but the indie sales market around the upcoming Sundance Film Festival is already seeing action.
Netflix has acquired the documentary “The Deepest Breath,” which promises to be a visual and emotional thriller about the world of high-risk freediving — where brave souls plunge oceans with no supplemental oxygen, only breath-holding. Indie giant A24, Motive Films, Ventureland and Raw are all additional partners on the film from Irish director Laura McGann. The film will have its global debut in Sundance’s Premieres section in the new year.
According to an official synopsis, the film follows a champion freediver in training to break a world record with the help of an expert safety diver, a pair whose emotional bond feels increasingly like fate. Divergent paths lead them to the pinnacle of the freediving world, documenting the thrilling rewards – and inescapable...
Netflix has acquired the documentary “The Deepest Breath,” which promises to be a visual and emotional thriller about the world of high-risk freediving — where brave souls plunge oceans with no supplemental oxygen, only breath-holding. Indie giant A24, Motive Films, Ventureland and Raw are all additional partners on the film from Irish director Laura McGann. The film will have its global debut in Sundance’s Premieres section in the new year.
According to an official synopsis, the film follows a champion freediver in training to break a world record with the help of an expert safety diver, a pair whose emotional bond feels increasingly like fate. Divergent paths lead them to the pinnacle of the freediving world, documenting the thrilling rewards – and inescapable...
- 12/8/2022
- by Matt Donnelly
- Variety Film + TV
There are six UK productions and four UK co-productions in the line-up.
The UK is well represented in the 2023 edition of Utah-based festival Sundance, with debut features including Girl, Scrapper, Rye Lane and documentary Is There Anybody Out There? joining the line-up, which was announced in full yesterday (December 7). Five of the UK filmmakers selected are Screen Stars of Tomorrow.
This year’s festival takes place as a hybrid event, running from January 19-29 as an in-person event, with a selection of films available online from January 24-29.
Six UK productions and four UK co-productions have made the 99-strong line-up...
The UK is well represented in the 2023 edition of Utah-based festival Sundance, with debut features including Girl, Scrapper, Rye Lane and documentary Is There Anybody Out There? joining the line-up, which was announced in full yesterday (December 7). Five of the UK filmmakers selected are Screen Stars of Tomorrow.
This year’s festival takes place as a hybrid event, running from January 19-29 as an in-person event, with a selection of films available online from January 24-29.
Six UK productions and four UK co-productions have made the 99-strong line-up...
- 12/8/2022
- by Mona Tabbara
- ScreenDaily
Reporters generally try to not to become involved in the stories they cover. But CNN said reporter Chloe Melas’ experience with Morgan Freeman led directly to her investigation into his behavior with women.
Melas said that during a junket for his 2017 film “Going in Style,” when she was six months pregnant, Freeman shook and held onto her hand, looking her up and down and saying variations of the words “I wish I was there.” Melas said Freeman also told her, “You are ripe.”
Melas and co-author An Phung broke the news Thursday that several woman have accused Freeman of harassment. He quickly apologized, saying it was “never my intent” for anyone to feel uncomfortable or disrespected.
Also Read: That Time Morgan Freeman Narrated a Hillary Clinton Campaign Ad (Video)
“Chloe’s exchange, part of which was captured on tape, made her wonder if Mr. Freeman’s comments were an isolated...
Melas said that during a junket for his 2017 film “Going in Style,” when she was six months pregnant, Freeman shook and held onto her hand, looking her up and down and saying variations of the words “I wish I was there.” Melas said Freeman also told her, “You are ripe.”
Melas and co-author An Phung broke the news Thursday that several woman have accused Freeman of harassment. He quickly apologized, saying it was “never my intent” for anyone to feel uncomfortable or disrespected.
Also Read: That Time Morgan Freeman Narrated a Hillary Clinton Campaign Ad (Video)
“Chloe’s exchange, part of which was captured on tape, made her wonder if Mr. Freeman’s comments were an isolated...
- 5/25/2018
- by Jon Levine
- The Wrap
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.