Atlantis

An underwater documentary made without words. There is no narrator, no interview, no explanation. The species are not named and the locations are not given. On screen there is only water and what is in it. The structure is divided into sections, each tied to a feeling or a movement: light, rhythm, weight, flight. The narrative tries to build an impression rather than convey information. The footage was gathered across different seas over a long period; the director had earlier made The Big Blue and his interest in the underwater comes from there. The music is by Eric Serra and carries the whole film; image and music are bound together almost at the level of the edit. Luc Besson directed. On release it was assessed as a visual essay rather than a documentary, and was received unevenly for that reason. A calming choice for anyone who likes underwater imagery and visual essays built on music. For a viewer expecting an informative nature documentary, the film deliberately explains nothing and leaves every question unanswered.