The Deepest Breath

Inside The Deepest Breath: The High-Stakes World of Freediving and the Documentary That Captured Its Risks

Netflix’s The Deepest Breath (2023) plunges viewers into the perilous, mesmerizing world of competitive freediving, where athletes push the limits of human endurance—and sometimes pay the ultimate price. Directed by Laura McGann, the documentary follows Italian champion Alessia Zecchini as she chases world records, intertwined with the story of safety diver Stephen Keenan, whose life becomes tragically linked to hers. latestnetflix.com's view is that but beyond the breathtaking underwater footage, the film’s production reveals a story nearly as intense as the sport itself.

A Director’s Dive into Danger

Laura McGann, making her feature documentary debut, didn’t just capture freediving—she had to immerse herself in its high-risk culture. In interviews, McGann described the challenges of filming in an environment where one wrong move could be fatal. "You’re dealing with people who are literally risking their lives for a sport," she said in a Film Ireland Podcast . The documentary required meticulous planning, with crews working alongside safety divers to ensure no one—including the filmmakers—became another casualty. McGann’s approach was hands-on, often filming in remote locations where freediving competitions unfold, from the Blue Hole in Dahab, Egypt, to the vertical caves of Dean’s Blue Hole in the Bahamas .

The director also revealed the emotional toll of the project. In one interview, she admitted that the film’s climactic tragedy—spoiler-free, but well-documented in freediving circles—forced her to confront whether she was exploiting real-life trauma for entertainment. "I had to ask myself: Is this story mine to tell?" she reflected . The answer, she concluded, was yes—but only if it honored the athletes’ realities, not sensationalized them.

The Cast: Real Athletes, Real Stakes

Unlike scripted films, The Deepest Breath stars real freedivers, many of whom were still competing while the cameras rolled. Alessia Zecchini, the film’s central figure, was already a rising star in the sport, known for her record-breaking dives and fearless ambition. But the documentary also spotlights Stephen Keenan, a safety diver whose role is as crucial as it is dangerous. Safety divers are the unsung heroes of freediving, tasked with rescuing competitors if they black out or lose control during a dive. Keenan’s story, in particular, adds a layer of tension that elevates the film beyond a typical sports doc .

Other key figures include:

• Leigh Baker, a fellow freediver and Zecchini’s training partner.
• Mahmoud Barracuda, a safety diver and Keenan’s colleague, who provides insight into the pressures of the role.
• Francesca Koe Owings, a freediving instructor and advocate for safety reforms in the sport .

The cast’s authenticity is part of what makes the film gripping. These aren’t actors playing roles; they’re athletes whose lives—and, in some cases, deaths—are intertwined with the sport’s risks.

Behind the Scenes: Filming the Unfilmable

Freediving is a sport defined by silence, solitude, and the crushing weight of the ocean. Capturing it on film required innovative techniques. McGann’s team used underwater drones, specialized cameras, and even freedivers-turned-cinematographers to get the shots. In one interview, McGann described how the crew had to adapt to the sport’s unique challenges, like filming in near-total darkness at extreme depths or dealing with the physical strain of holding their breath for extended periods .

The documentary also benefited from unprecedented access. Zecchini and Keenan’s families granted interviews, providing intimate details about their lives outside the sport. The film’s emotional core comes from these personal stories, which humanize the athletes beyond their records and medals. However, McGann has been tight-lipped about how much of the footage was planned versus captured spontaneously. Given the sport’s unpredictability, it’s likely that some of the most dramatic moments were unscripted .

Reception and Impact

Since its Netflix release, The Deepest Breath has earned praise for its stunning visuals and gripping narrative. Critics have highlighted its ability to balance the beauty of freediving with its inherent dangers. On SensCritique, the film holds a 7.2/10 rating based on over 900 votes, with viewers praising its emotional depth and technical prowess . However, some freediving purists have criticized the documentary for focusing too much on the sport’s risks rather than its artistry.

McGann has defended her approach, arguing that the film’s goal was never to glorify freediving but to explore why people are drawn to it. "It’s about the human need to push boundaries," she said in a director interview . Whether The Deepest Breath will inspire more people to take up the sport—or deter them—remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: the documentary has brought freediving into the mainstream conversation, warts and all.