The Sailor is a 2021 Slovak documentary film directed by Lucia Kašová. The film follows Paul Johnson, an elderly sailor living aboard his boat near Carriacou in Grenada the Caribbean, as he confronts old age, isolation and the end of his life at sea.
The film had its world premiere in the World Showcase section of the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival in 2021. It subsequently screened at more than 30 international film festivals in Europe, North America and Africa.
At the 2021 Flickers' Rhode Island International Film Festival, The Sailor received the Grand Prize for Best Feature Documentary.
Plot
The film follows Paul Johnson, an approximately 80-year-old sailor who lives aboard his boat, Cherub, near the island of Carriacou in the southern Caribbean. Johnson spent most of his life at sea and did not settle permanently on land. By the time of the film, both Johnson and his boat are no longer fit to sail.
Johnson reflects on his life and mortality while continuing to live aboard his boat. The film observes his daily life, including his attempts to maintain the vessel and his interactions with people on the island. A hurricane warning forms part of the film's setting as Johnson's physical limitations and the deteriorating condition of his boat become increasingly apparent.
The documentary explores the relationship between freedom and selfishness and considers the consequences of a life devoted to independence. Kašová described the film as being less about sailing itself than about the relationship between freedom and selfishness and what remains at the end of such a journey.
Production
Development
The Sailor was directed and written by Lucia Kašová and produced by Nazarij Kľujev for the Slovak production company TOXPRO. Martin Jurči served as cinematographer, Roman Kelemen as editor and Martin Turčan composed the music.
Kašová originally became interested in people living outside conventional social and national structures on Caribbean islands. After meeting Paul Johnson on Carriacou, she changed the focus of the project from a broader portrait of sailors to an individual portrait of Johnson.
The project was presented at several international film-industry forums, including Beldocs in Serbia, DocsBarcelona in Spain, Meeting Point Vilnius in Lithuania and the Marché du Film in Cannes, France. At the 10th Meeting Point Vilnius in 2019, the project received the Post Production Award, providing post-production assistance services towards completion of the film, while producer Nazarij Kľujev received an invitation to participate in the Marché du Film Industry Workshop in Cannes.
Filming
The film was shot over two months on Carriacou in Grenada. Filming took place directly before hurricane season, which became an element of the film's setting.
Kašová uses an observational approach, filming Johnson at close range and incorporating archive material and images of the island. Cinematographer Martin Jurči's camera remains closely focused on Johnson and his surroundings.
Release
The Sailor had its world premiere at the 2021 Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival in Toronto, in the World Showcase section.
The film was released theatrically in Slovakia in July 2021, with Film Expanded handling domestic distribution.
The film was subsequently screened at international festivals. The director's filmography lists more than 30 festival appearances in America, Europe and Africa. Festival listings include the Bergamo Film Meeting in Italy, the Ismailia International Film Festival in Egypt and Days of European Cinema in Prague.
The film was also screened in Grenada, where it was filmed. A Caribbean screening and review were reported by Caribbean Compass in October 2021.
Reception
Cineuropa's review described The Sailor as Kašová's first feature-length documentary and praised its portrait of a man who had lived according to his own principles but had become increasingly isolated in old age.
The review noted that the film concentrates on Johnson rather than treating the Caribbean setting as a conventional travel-film subject. It also highlighted the contrast between Johnson's former life at sea and his increasingly restricted existence on his boat.
Caribbean Compass published a review of the documentary in October 2021, describing it as an award-winning documentary about Johnson and reporting on its Hot Docs premiere and Rhode Island International Film Festival award.
Awards, nominations and screenings
AwardDate of ceremonyCategoryResultFlickers' Rhode Island International Film Festival2021Grand Prize for Best Feature Documentary30th Slovak Film Critics Awards2022Best Slovak Feature Documentary FilmIsmailia International Film Festival2022FIPRESCI Special MentionMeeting Point – Vilnius2019Post-Production Award
Festival screenings
Festival Year Location Note Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival 2021 Toronto, Canada World premiere Flickers' Rhode Island International Film Festival 2021 Providence, United States U.S. premiere, also Grand Prize for Best Feature Documentary[ Art Film Fest 2021 Košice, Slovakia Slovak premiere International Film Festival Cinematik 2021 Piešťany, Slovakia Official selection IndieCork 2021 Cork, Ireland Irish premiere Jihlava International Documentary Film Festival 2021 Jihlava, Czech Republic Czech premiere 1261 Film Festival 2021 Grenada Caribbean premiere Nordics Adventure Film Festival 2021 Denmark Danish premiere London International Documentary Festival 2022 London, United Kingdom UK premiere Bergamo Film Meeting 2022 Bergamo, Italy Italian premiere Ismailia International Film Festival 2022 Ismailia, Egypt African premiere; FIPRESCI Special Mention Days of European Cinema 2022 Prague, Czech Republic Official selection
Notes
References
External links
The Sailor at Cineuropa The Sailor at the Slovak Film Institute Flickers' Rhode Island International Film Festival awards Lucia Kašová – official website