Can Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis Live Up to The Name

Documentaries have the ability to introduce viewers to tales they could have by no means encountered earlier than. They come ahead with good insights, traditions, and challenges of communities which will in any other case stay unknown. One such documentary is Sue Kim’s The Last of the Sea Women, which tells the story of a group named Haenyeo divers from South Korea. Maybe a few of concerning the group and know what they do. But most of you don’t know why they do that and the way their lives are being affected by local weather change and different challenges. Known as “real-life mermaids,” these exceptional girls divers have been diving into the ocean’s depths for hundreds of years now to gather seafood. The documentary, which is produced by fierce girls’s rights activist Malala Yousafzai, masterfully captures their lives and combat to guard the ocean from the quickly altering world.

The Last of the Sea Women begins with a scenic view of Jeju Island in South Korea the place we see girls of their 60s, 70s, and 80s sporting diving costumes and on the brink of dive into the depths of the ocean. Shockingly, they dive into the ocean with out the help of oxygen tanks. Yes, you learn it proper. They don’t use oxygen tanks to go contained in the water and acquire sea urchins and different marine life. It’s fairly exceptional how these girls did this, but it surely’s additionally vital to grasp that in the event that they didn’t, they in all probability wouldn’t be capable to survive for much longer. The 1 hour and 29 minutes documentary dives deeper into the world of Haenyeo divers and tells viewers about their wealthy historical past whereas thoughtfully addressing the challenges they face in preserving their future.

Initially, the movie showcases the older technology getting up each morning and diving into the ocean. However, it’s not simple for them to do that on daily basis due to their age. Even although elders are defying all odds to proceed their work, the youthful technology is discovering it arduous to take their legacies ahead. However, some daring younger girls have taken the accountability of constant this work and mixing fashionable components to lift consciousness about it. This is among the features the place The Last of the Sea Women excels and exhibits how the youthful technology is utilizing social media to let folks learn about Haenyeo and the difficulties they face. The younger Haenyeos add their dives, and private tales on social media to encourage an increasing number of younger girls to understand their heritage. Sue Kim manages to strike an ideal stability between the previous and the current, taking viewers on a journey that’s each reflective and a name to motion.

Another facet that makes The Last of the Sea Women such a shifting movie is the way it portrays the relationships between the Haenyeo. Even although issues have gotten an increasing number of troublesome for them with every passing day, they proceed to embrace their life-style by teasing one another and making jokes. Additionally, the camaraderie between the Haenyeo is heartwarming and provoking. Whether they’re on the island making ready to dive or warming up after an extended day within the ocean waters, their resilience and unshakable assist for one another shine via. It’s a testomony to how larger issues might be achieved if a group comes collectively and works with out greed and jealousy. Once once more, the director does a implausible job of capturing these lighter moments and goes past merely following their lives. Of course, this documentary is concerning the Haenyeo group, however additionally it is about these girls who’re breaking all of the stereotypes of how girls ought to reside their lives. It’s about their aspirations, the challenges they’ve confronted all through their lives, and the pleasure they take of their work.

Women have been going through plenty of restrictions all through human historical past and so they needed to carve their paths and break all of the shackles to make folks perceive that they’re well-capable of doing issues that their counterparts do. Kim does an exceptional job of creating this story concerning the independence and power of those courageous girls, and it’s so wonderful to see older girls being proven as heroes of their very own tales.

Visually, this is among the most beautiful documentaries you’ll ever see. Kudos to cinematographer Justin Turkowski for breathtaking photographs contained in the ocean and for capturing the uncooked fantastic thing about the ocean. Moreover, he masterfully captures the bodily endurance wanted to dive into the ocean. Meanwhile, the music enhances the visible expertise and enhances these visuals.

All in all, Sue Kim’s The Last of the Sea Women is a unprecedented story of dedication and self-reliance. It not solely showcases the Haenyeo group, it additionally exhibits how they’re making efforts to let the world know that oceans are at risk and must be protected. It is a shocking tribute to girls who proceed to interrupt stereotypes and depart an enduring impression within the minds of the viewers.

The Last of the Sea Women premiered at this yr’s Toronto International Film Festival.