Sailing a Sinking Sea

Discover the beliefs and legends of the Mokens in Olivia Wyatt’s enchanting documentary Sailing a Sinking Sea, presented as part of the 2015’s London Film Festival. An enrapturing yet relaxing film that explores the Moken tribe – who are located around Thailand and Burma, and are completely devoted to the oceans – the documentary boasts a gentle score and tales upon tales to provide background for this exotic group of people.

Sailing a Sinking Sea may not be a particularly heavy documentary on the surface, but as Olivia Wyatt delves deeper and deeper into the lives of the Moken people, a theme begins to arise. It’s one that is very prominent in the sphere of environmental activism: the world needs to protect the oceans, not destroy them.

This deeper theme to the documentary provides a whole new perspective to talks, focusing on the very real damages that will occur to the lives of people who depend on the ocean for life and work. Through brief glimpses into their personal lives are woven into the tribe’s legend, what Sailing a Sinking Sea makes very clear is that as more and more fish become extinct, their lives are beginning to become an uphill battle.

It would be interesting to hear the people in the Moken tribe speak explicitly about their lives, what they do for a living, what they do for pleasure and perhaps even just how they spend their days. Yet Olivia Wyatt imparts quite an intimate look into the personal lives of the tribe nonetheless, through her capturing of these people going about their daily lives.

The rich blues of the oceans and the hazy pinks of the sunsets will enthral audiences and awaken a sense of wanderlust, however it’s not just these that capture the audience’s attention, but also the underwater shots that show exactly what it is that makes the Moken so devoted to the ocean. From sea turtles to clown fish, the viewer is drawn into the beautiful scenery. Sailing a Sinking Sea is an entertaining but critical documentary that explores the need for marine conservation from a human perspective. After watching this, even the most stay-at-home individuals will want to pack their bags and join the Moken tribe in their quaint life.

 

Becky Henrys

Sailing a Sinking Sea does not have a UK release date yet.

For further information about the 59^th London Film Festival visit here, and for more of our coverage visit here.

Watch the trailer for Sailing a Sinking Sea here: