When man first tried to conquer the skies above, there was but one whom equally discovered and uncovered a vast unknown world that was hidden beneath us. Starting from the 1950s, the household name of Jacques-Yves Cousteau (Captain Cousteau) resonated across TV viewers as the Frenchman who explored the depths of the ocean. Cousteau’s influence on multiple platforms of underwater documentaries and the conservation of the environment was unparalleled. As he achieved global status, Cousteau’s adventures in various cases, not only captured the viewers’ first exposure to documentaries, but also an introduction to the underwater world.
With his revolutionary documentary of Le Monde du Silence (World of Silence), Cousteau was even awarded the Palme d’Or at Cannes Film Festival in 1956 and the Academy Award for Best Documentary Film. As a man with outstanding achievements and titles to his name such as: explorer, celebrity oceanographer, inventor, award-winner, businessman, and environmentalist, a biopic of his life was much needed to be shown not only to rediscover the beauty of nature but also, the man who explored it. French film director Jérôme Salle did just that by filming L’Odyssée, an enthralling biographical piece on the famous Captain Cousteau. The 2015 French film depicted Cousteau’s contribution to the film industry and the reflections onto our environment, but more so, his deep and complicated relationship between his family and rise to fame.
The tale begun in the vibrant Mediterranean in 1948. Jacques-Yves Cousteau (Lambert Wilson) alongside his loving wife Simone (Audrey Tautou) and their two young sons, Philippe and Jean-Michel lived in a house by the lively coast. Cousteau and his fellow naval officers invented the Aqualung—which is now known as scuba diving gear, that allowed them to breathe underwater with the drive for exploration and adventure. As they uncovered new parts of the marine world, Cousteau and his team would record the untouched underwater beauty and showcased it to the naïve world. With a longing for discovery and curiosity, the couple decided to change their life around by purchasing a former Royal Navy minesweeper, The Calypso.
But as there came several pivotal decisions in life, there would be plenty of sacrifices. In Cousteau’s case, it was the original funding of his expedition and the bond between his two sons, Philippe and Jean-Michel. With the passion for exploring the wonders of the ocean, he first needed the tankers of fuel to occupy The Calypso. Not having much money of his own, Cousteau had no choice but to seek sponsors from willing oil companies. Eventually, he found a beneficiary but only if, he returns the favour by scouring potential deep sea oil drills. This was where the contradiction began with Captain Cousteau as the man who loved the marine world but, yet destroying it at the same time.
A couple of decades later, Captain Cousteau became an iconic public figure of the sea beloved by many, except for one, his own son, Philippe (Pierre Niney). After graduating from boarding school, Philippe finally joins The Calypso but was only welcomed by camera crews and a well-rehearsed father on screen. Shortly enough, Philippe soon realises the difference in ideals between him and his celebrity father. Philippe being the compassionate filmmaker for the environment against the shrewd businessman, Captain Cousteau. With tensions rising on The Calypso, Cousteau needs to choose between the relationship between his family or his journey across the oceans.
Undertake this lyrical journey, almost as if a member of Cousteau’s crew, and experience the epic highs and excruciating lows of this pioneer’s astounding career which changed humanity’s relationship with the sea forever. The Odyssey will be screening in Brisbane at the Alliance Française French Festival from Friday 24 March – Friday 7 April at the Palace Barracks and Palace Centro.
The entire Alliance Française French Festival schedule is now available here.
