While the ocean seems serendipitous from afar, it is merciless to those submerging within. Similar to recent documentaries such as MerPeople, The Deepest Breath highlights the perilous ocean and the miles of unfathomable depth it boasts. However, unlike MerPeople, this documentary film takes a different route and showcases the ruthless nature of the ocean. It is a tale of courage, heartbreak and misery wrapped in the serpentine waves of the blue brine. Set in the backdrop of opulent sceneries, The Deepest Breath follows the sport of freediving and reflects on its true nature.
This Netflix documentary explores the journey of an Italian freediver, Alessia Zechhini and a safety diver, Stephen Keenan. It is an unsaid fact that the relationship between a freediver and a safety diver is an unbreakable bond. There exists no freediver who has dived deep into the ocean without having the support of a safety diver. While Alessia and Stephen are another professional pair, there lurks something more intense beneath that mask.
The Deepest Breath Plot Synopsis
Written and directed by Laura McGann, The Deepest Breath premiered originally in the Sundance Film Festival. Now though, it has finally found a home on Netflix which has now become a hub of documentaries. Athletes have now resorted to filming their journeys and presenting their hurdles in front of their fans. Alessia is one of these athletes who narrates her journey from being a dreamy diver to an admired professional.
From an early age, Alessia knew she was meant for the ocean. She grew up watching the living freediving legend, Natalia Molchanova and aspired to walk in her footsteps. As a teenager, she took the world by storm and surpassed Homar Leauci’s benchmark, establishing herself as the fearless, rising freediver. Alessia kept illustrating her talent but had to keep her ambitions on hold due to the age limit. As soon as she hit her eighteenth birthday, Alessia began her descent into the depths of the ocean.
How Do Alessia And Stephen Meet Each Other?
Taking after his father, Stephen was a born enthusiast and adventurer. He has always been searching for a monumental shift, something akin to serendipity, which he found in the ocean. As years passed by, his interest in the field of freediving cemented. He became a pioneer in the world due to establishing a diving school near the Blue Hole, Egypt. His decision to stay close to the crest that claimed over 100 lives resonated with one message alone; Stephen Keenan is brave enough to challenge the hole that is akin to the black hole in the galaxy.
Alessia and Stephen crossed paths when the former approached him to train for an upcoming competition. Stephen, having trained hundreds of professionals before, was anyone’s best bet because, as his close friends and colleagues claim, “he had your back”. Alessia, too, was drawn to Stephen’s mystical charm.
She was aspiring to set a new world record by taking a shot at the Blue Hole’s Arch. Since Stephen was a trained and dedicated safety diver, he was everyone’s first choice including Alessia. The two bonded over a shared goal, aspiring to set a new world record. While their relationship so far has been strictly professional, what went beyond is way more intense, dreamy and disastrous than you can ever imagine.
The Deepest Breath Ending Explained: What Happened To Stephen?
The Deepest Breath skirts away from addressing the true nature of Alessia and Stephen’s relationship. The film and the crew members are stuck in paving the way for the cinematic climax or they simply don’t want to venture down that territory. Alas, the story arch McGann chooses to reflect upon is the heartbreaking sacrifice Stephen did.
After weeks of continuous training, Alessia and Stephen went on to achieve their mission. Through underwater footage and inner monologues, McGann takes us to witness their expedition. As the duo swims deeper into the ocean, the sounds of their heartbeat intensity–so do mine and so will yours. It is due to the unavoidable tragedy The Deepest Breath hints at from the start. When the Blue Hole sucks Alessia into it, Stephen steps in but fails to measure the gravity of their situation. He hauls Alessia back up but goes missing only to be discovered dead.
Stephen loses his life to the Blue Hole due to the shallow-water blackout–or shall I say he loses his life to save Alessia’s? Nevertheless, the universe of freediving lost a gem to the atrocious burrow of Dahab, Egypt in 2017. As The Deepest Breath crawls to the end, Stephen’s dad, Peter, his friends and colleagues pay him a heartfelt tribute. Of course, Alessia is still the most impacted by the heart-wrenching death of Stephen and remains grateful to him to date.
RECOMMENDED: The Out Laws Ending Explained: Why Does Owen Kill Rehan?