Marko Roth takes the plunge

While some outlier anthropologists believe humans may have evolved from aquatic apes, there’s no direct evolutionary link between our species and amphibians. However, most of us just really really like the sea, whether to look at or dive into. 

Directed by Marko Roth, through Hamburg-based production company Simon & Paul, this gentle, sensuous film sparkles with all the magic of marine adventures in its depiction of people preparing to go for a dip. 

Rather than focusing on the jump itself, Roth focusses on fleeting moments that happen just before it. People pause at the water’s edge, embrace fellow dippers, gather their courage or simply take in their surroundings.

It was shot by New York-based cinematographer Mika Aberra along the coast of Puglia, Italy, on just three rolls of 35mm film and boasts gorgeous seaside sonic treats from Berg&Dahl Audio and an elegant score from We Are Modular.

Working with only three rolls of 35mm film meant there was little room for second takes. The documentary approach required patience and trust, allowing people to move naturally and moments to unfold without interruption. “We had three rolls of film and no idea what we'd get,” says Roth, “there was no room to hide behind a second take, so every frame had to be earned through trust, instinct, and paying real attention to the people in front of the camera.”