What the sea gives me (Pierce Michael Kavanagh, 2014): USA

Reviewed by Erik Johansson. Viewed at the metro 4 part of the Santa Barbara Film Festival 2015.

“What the sea gives me” is a gripping documentary where beautiful action shots, wide nature shots as well as passionate human beings are used as tools to show the significance of the ocean. We get to experience how it has such a significance in so many peoples lives. We get to see how it is the employee, the source of action sport, the source of artists, the hope and the therapist for so many different people around the world.

The story starts with three enthusiastic young men and surfers who starts asking themselves what they can give back to the ocean. Seeing inorganic material floating around by the shore makes them question how we work with plastic materials around the ocean. After some research they realize the significance attack a group of people that spends a lot of time working with plastic around the ocean. They chose Chilean fishermen, focusing on their plastic fishnet recycling.

Later on we get introduced to free divers, surfers as well as other water sport athletes who explains the ocean as a source of love and fear, relaxation and therapy. We get to meet an amazing character Andre Barbieri. After getting into a life threatening snowboarding accident in Mammoth he found himself struggling to get his life spirit back together. He tells us about a very important chapter in his life when he through the ocean found purpose to live. How it gave him a second chance.

What the cinema gives me was recorded in Chile, New England (USA), California (USA), India, Hawaii and South Africa. Together with beautiful dynamic filming on land as well as under water the footage is a beautiful piece of art for the eye. The cinematograph combines mid shots with a person speaking with beautiful and inspiring footage. Cross editing is used. The music switches between something close to Indie pop together with relaxing music.

Watching director Pierce Michael Kavanagh´s documentary certainly gives the viewer an insight through the angle of different eyes. However, one thing that all these individuals have in common is that they feel the ocean has given them the knowledge to know where they belong and how it brings people together to experience joy, fear and everything in between. I think it´s a rare piece of art since it shows such a big geographical spread from people who are living totally different lives around the world but who all rely and live passionate lives with close relation to the ocean. With beauty and passion as tools it highlights something that is priceless and that we should all take great care of.