To launch our new DOUBLE-FEATURE series, we present LE MONDE DU SILENCE (1956) and THE LIFE AQUATIC WITH STEVE ZISSOU (2004). While Cousteau and Malle's documentary captures the beauty and fragility of the ocean, Wes Anderson's comedy offers a satirically surreal take on seafaring adventures. This Double Feature provides a fascinating comparison between authentic and fictionalized marine exploration.
The Silent World
LE MONDE DU SILENCE, the iconic documentary by Jacques-Yves Cousteau and Louis Malle, reveals the breathtaking beauty and diversity of the seas. Using specially developed underwater cameras and accompanied by music from Jean-Michel Cousteau, the film impressively captures the fragile underwater world. This Oscar-winning film encourages reflection on marine conservation and has inspired generations of children to pursue careers as marine biologists.
The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou
Wes Anderson's THE LIFE AQUATIC WITH STEVE ZISSOU offers a whimsical adventure featuring a quirky marine explorer and his eccentric crew in search of the legendary “jaguar shark”. Anderson's unique visual style, vibrant colors and detailed miniature models for underwater scenes parody classic adventure and ocean exploration stories. The film skillfully combines humor, tragedy and heart, and explores themes of masculinity and personal fulfillment in a chaotic expedition in an original way.
Supporting Film: The Age of Swordfish
Between April and August, swordfish come to the Strait of Messina to lay their eggs. While the women wash their laundry on the shore and sing songs of their ancestors, the fishermen wait in their flimsy cutters for the fish to arrive.
