Movies & Series

The documentary you want to see on Netflix

By Wieke Veenboer | #!31Tue, 11 Jul 2023 14:00:54 +0200+02:005431#31Tue, 11 Jul 2023 14:00:54 +0200+02:00-2Europe/Amsterdam3131Europe/Amsterdam202331 11pm31pm-31Tue, 11 Jul 2023 14:00:54 +0200+02:002Europe/Amsterdam3131Europe/Amsterdam2023312023Tue, 11 Jul 2023 14:00:54 +0200002007pmTuesday=9#!31Tue, 11 Jul 2023 14:00:54 +0200+02:00Europe/Amsterdam7#07-11-2023#!31Tue, 11 Jul 2023 14:00:54 +0200+02:005431#/31Tue, 11 Jul 2023 14:00:54 +0200+02:00-2Europe/Amsterdam3131Europe/Amsterdam202331#!31Tue, 11 Jul 2023 14:00:54 +0200+02:00Europe/Amsterdam7#

Ever heard of Thalassophobia? That's an intense phobia of deep waters and yours truly suffers quite a bit from it. Swimming in the sea, ocean, or any form of natural water is really a no-go for me — I only seek cooling in swimming pools. Yet, I do have an intense fascination for deeper waters, which almost borders on a kind of voluntary self-harm, because it makes me extremely uncomfortable. By the way, I'm not the only one in this; I found out that many unknown and known Dutch people struggle with the same phobia. For example, when recently the Titan imploded underwater, I dove fully into a rabbit hole. How interesting (and astonishing) is it that we have reached the moon while we have discovered less than twenty percent of all waters on Earth? What is happening at those kilometers of depth in the ocean?

If these are questions that occupy your mind or you simply have an interest in deep waters: this is going to be a documentary close to your heart. The Deepest Breath premieres on July 19 on Netflix and the name says it all a bit: this docu is indeed about divers.

It’s about all kinds of divers; among others, a champion freediver is followed. Exceptionally good at her sport, but also with danger to her own life. This champion dives, without any equipment, the length of a skyscraper down. In her career, she, Alessia Zecchini, develops a deep friendship with another diver (Stephen Keenan), who specializes in the safety of these kinds of sports. He had confidence in her and helped her become even better to become the best freediver in the world.

A documentary with a very grim ending, because (warning: spoilers incoming) Stephen Keenan passed away in July 2017 off the coast of Dahab in Egypt. At that moment, he was helping Alessia come up, who had to come from fifty meters deep. While he was busy with this ‘rescue operation’, he himself passed away, and this will also be addressed in the documentary. He was the first rescue diver to die during a freedive.

If there’s one thing I know for sure before watching this doc: I will never go into the water again after this.