Le Grand Bleu

As this edition of Funga is strongly centered around the ocean, I knew it was the perfect occasion to include Le Grand Bleu as this month’s film. It has been a family cult film since I can remember, and I truly have no words to describe what it means to me and the memories attached to it.

It was directed in 1988 by Luc Besson and was filmed in the French visual style Cinéma du look (a personal favorite). The movie is a fictionalized story of the friendship and sporting rivalry between two leading champion free divers in the 20th century: Jacques Mayol and Enzo Maiorca.

Jean Reno as Enzo. One of my favorite film characters of all time.

Beautiful depictions of love, friendship, and passion happen throughout the film. To me, however, the most important theme is the magnetism of the ocean. The sea has powers that most of us have felt but are difficult to understand or describe. No wonder it is home to whales and dolphins, a few of the most intelligent, energetic animals on earth. Taking some cinematic features with a pinch of salt (such as some cheesy dolphin moments), I am sure you, too, will find the magic in this movie.