Best Freediving Movies Leading Up to 2023

Journeying Through the Depths

The Best Freediving Movies!

Are you a freediver? Did you do a beginner freediving course already? Perhaps you did several freediving courses already. Are you a deep-sea lover? A freediving fan? Do you want to get some soul inspiration? Or just to spend a nice easy evening in front of the screen of your TV or laptop? Check our list of the best freediving movies and find something, especially for you.

 

The 14 Best Freediving Movies of All Time!

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The Deepest Breath (2023)

The Deepest Breath is a beautiful and touching coming-of-age story about the death of Steve (Stephen) Keenan – a hero safety diver, excellent freediver, and a dear and close friend of the Freedive Academy. On July 22nd, 2017, the unthinkable happened during an extreme freedive of Alessia Zechinni crossing the Arch in Dahab. This documentary beautifully captures the complexities of adolescence and the search for identity. Set in a small coastal town in Wales, the film follows the journey of 13-year-old Stevie as she navigates the challenges of family, friendship, and first love. With stunning cinematography and powerful performances, “The Deepest Breath” is a poignant exploration of the beauty and pain of growing up and a reminder that sometimes the most profound moments can be found in the quietest places. The documentary is now available on Netflix and is a highly recommended must-watch.

Avatar 2 (2022)

Get ready to be transported to the visually stunning world of Pandora with the blockbuster movie, Avatar. The film takes us on a journey with a group of Na’vi warriors, as they fight to save their planet from human destruction. With its central theme of balance and harmony, Avatar showcases the Na’vi’s deep connection to the planet and its energy, portraying it as a powerful force that can restore equilibrium. The movie features a star-studded cast, with actors like Kate Winslet and Sigourney Weaver taking freediving courses and learning how to hold their breath for minutes on end. In fact, Kate Winslet reportedly held her breath for over 7 minutes during filming – an incredible accomplishment, whether she used pure O2 during her breath-up or not. With awe-inspiring creatures and stunning landscapes, Avatar is an unforgettable cinematic experience that you don’t want to miss.

Black Panther : Wakanda Forever (2022)

“Wakanda Forever” is a stunning sequel to “Black Panther” that captures the beauty and mystery of the ocean through breathtaking underwater scenes, much like the sport of freediving. The film’s exploration of pushing oneself beyond perceived limits and the importance of taking risks mirrors the mental and physical challenges faced by freedivers as they explore the depths of the ocean with only a single breath of air. Through its use of vibrant colors and stunning visuals, “Wakanda Forever” creates an immersive experience for viewers, transporting them to a world that is both familiar and otherworldly, reminding us of the beauty and potential of the natural world.

One Breath (2020)

We can’t finish this list without mentioning a film based on the story of one of the most famous Russian freedivers, the founder of the Molchanovs freediving school, Natalia Molchanova. The film tells how an average woman living an ordinary life finds her inspiration in freediving and where this path takes her. The film’s core idea is that the biggest opponent of every athlete is within oneself, and only having dealt with the fear and the weight of the past mistakes can one reveal the true potential. This film can help you to believe in yourself when things go wrong. So if you face that feeling when you think you can’t do it, this film can be your go-to supply of instant inspiration from one of the most famous athletes in the world history of freediving.

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One Breath Around the World (2019)

The first thing that springs to mind while watching this short film is if it is really possible. Isn’t it computer graphics? The abilities of French freediving champion Guillaume Néry and his wife Julie Gautier are extraordinary. Underwater landscapes from different places of the world, from Mauritius to Mexico and Japan, are stunning. And when these locations are combined in one clip, it gives you an exciting experience — unbelievable but real. Submerged ruins, swimming under thick ice, mingling with a pod of sleeping sperm whales… One Breath Around the World is one of those movies that is better to watch than to read about. And the best thing, you can watch it here now!

Dolphin Man (2017)

A documentary film, directed by Lefteris Chariots and released in 2017, tells us the story of legendary Jacques Mayol, a cult person in freediving. He was a French diver and the holder of many world records in freediving. Mayol authored the book “Homo Delphinus: the Dolphin Within Man” of his philosophy about the aquatic origins of humans. The story of the movie leads us from the Mediterranean to Japan and from India to the Bahamas. It shows Mayol’s closest friends and family. It tells about his journey and transformative experience, about his relationship with the sea and his inner-self. The great combination of rare archive footage and modern underwater filming technologies make this movie really unique.

Dolphin Man

Johanna Under The Ice (2016)

This short film (less than 4 minutes) proves that simplicity often comes with true harmony and aesthetic perfection. Incredible black and white shots and statics reveal the impressive ideas behind the film. This story is about Johanna Nordblad, a famous Finnish designer, ice diver, and free diver. It tells us about her relationship with the ice, cold water, and her life in general. This film is harder to describe than to see for yourself. So give this short a shot, watch it, feel it. It is worth it.

Narcose (2013)

There is a phenomenon of deepwater narcosis that freedivers can experience while diving deep, which brings euphoria and carefreeness feelings. And the film Narcose (2013), directed by the famous Julie Gautier and Guillaume Néry, invites us to explore the couple’s personal experience. The deep sensuality of scenes and a kaleidoscope of layers of meaning make people dip down into their minds and souls.

You can watch the full video on Youtube.

Narcose

Want to Learn More About Freediving or Start Yourself?

Send us a message via the following form, and our team will reply within a few hours.

At the same time, we’ll subscribe you to the Freedive Academy iMagazine, and every two weeks, we’ll send you an email with news and schedules for courses and online (free) events that everyone can join.

Freediving is an incredible sport, and it’s amazing what the human body can do. Message us today and submerge yourself in a beautiful world in one breath!

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Into the Blue (2005)

This movie is for those who like action, adventures, criminal cases, beautiful landscapes, and hot romantic scenes. A group of young divers finds an illicit cargo of a sunken aeroplane and gets into trouble with the local drug boss. Great underwater pictures, endless scenes with bronze-tanned beach girls, stunning Jessica Alba included, and a big cup of popcorn will make your evening light and easy. This film offers an interesting mix of scuba-diving, free-diving and snorkelling scenes. Some parts of the movie were filmed as live-action shots in the sea off the Bahamas, with live wild sharks.

Into the Blue

FreeDive (2005)

Tanya Streeter is one of the most famous freediving women in the world. She held the overall “no limits” freediving record for more than two months, which is still the women’s world record for No Limits Apnea. And the FreeDive documentary Directed by Michael Single and released in 2005 is partly about her. The film depicts all the hardships and obstacles that arise in the novice diver Joe Tufts training process and the triumph of the great results that wait for him at the end of his way in the U.S. Freediving team. The film metaphorically describes the learning curve of every freediver who wants to take part in competitions. So if you are already a competitive athlete, you will find many familiar situations in this story.

Tanya Streeter

The Freediver (2004)

This action movie is based on the true story of a greek freediving athlete Danai Varveri, telling us about her way to break the freediving world record. It is a beautifully shot movie about tragic love and the human spirit’s strength, perfect for romance-seekers. The stunning landscapes of Greece will not leave you indifferent and may inspire the idea of taking your next vacation there.

Yasemin Dalkilic: World’s Deepest Woman (2003)

This documentary film is about Yasemin Dalkilic, a young talented Turkish female freediver. At the age of 16, she had established herself as the best freediver in her country. And by the time of releasing the movie, she already held more than six world records. “The itch to dive was always there, and it only grew stronger with time,” said Dalkilic in one of her interviews. And this film shows her fortitude and all the numerous efforts that led her to her results.

Yasemin Dalkilic

Ocean Men: Extreme Dive (2001)

Bob Talbot’s documentary tells us the story of the competition of two freediving legends, Pipin Ferreras and Umberto Pelizzari. The movie shows the unique abilities of the human body and the beauty of the ocean. It depicts the two different personalities of the athletes and two contrasting diving philosophies that separate them. The camera’s eye leads us deeper and deeper, following the sportsmen on their way to break the records. And in the end, you find yourself taken into the depths of the ocean and the internal parts of the heroes’ souls. The music composed by talented Cliff Eidelman and excellent operator work will give you a special pleasure if you watch this movie in a large format (Imax).

Ocean Man

The Big Blue (1988)

The Big Blue (Le Grand Bleu), a movie by French director Luc Besson, became a cult film for a whole generation. Premiered at the 1988 Cannes Film Festival, it was strongly criticized for the plot and script. But people kept returning to see it again and again. Luc Besson is famous for his visual and action techniques. And The Big Blue is one of the most stunning films he has ever made. Stunning underwater pictures and scenic location shooting in the French Antibes, the Greek islands, Peru, and Taormina in Sicily, mystical soundtracks (by Éric Serra) which won César Award for Best Music Written for a Film and Best Sound in 1989 — all these things make people engagingly watch more than two hours of the film.

The Big Blue

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