The merchant ship Republic of Brazil travels between Italy, the Mediterranean and West Africa. 27 people on board, including Italians, Filipinos and Romanians.
The film delves into the absolutely particular life experience of seafarers, and reflects on man’s innate needs, through unique images and intimate interviews, in a surprising and engaging journey, between nature, iron, wisdom and fragility.
Director’s notes
It is an independent film in the strict sense.
After a travel experience on a merchant ship done a few years ago on a personal basis and without film plans, I reflected on what kind of particular and unprecedented context that was, and on what kind of original existence seafarers lead.
From then on, the development of a subject, the creation of a pre-production trailer, contact with the shipping company for the possibility of boarding, and practical organisation.
Three of us set off (directing and photography, second camera and editing, sound and story-editing) for a forty-day journey from Genoa to Nigeria and back, with several stops in European and African countries, and a few days-long navigations.
Having obtained the embarkations, I otherwise produced the film in the first person, for this reason I said above that it is an independent film in the strict sense.
– Alessandro Cattaneo
