The Deepest Breath viewers say Netflix's diving documentary is 'scary'

Netflix viewers are left terrified by documentary The Deepest Breath with ‘disturbing’ scenes of free divers passing out under water

  • Viewers of Netflix’s The Deepest Breath have branded the documentary ‘scary’
  • Read more: Free-diver plunges 170 FEET beneath frozen Swiss lake

Viewers have been left terrified by Netflix’s new documentary about freediving, The Deepest Breath. 

The film, which was released on the streaming service yesterday, gives viewers an inside look into the swimmers who compete against one another to dive into the deep depths of the ocean holding a single gulp of air.

Scenes in the film show the divers risking death to plunge to the depths of a 70 story skyscraper while holding their breath. 

In one moment, diver Alessia Zecchini attempts to break a world record by freediving for four minutes – and passes out as she returns to the surface.

Many viewers have said the film is ‘heartbreaking’ and ’emotional’ – as well as being terrifying.

Viewers of The Deepest Breath have branded the new Netflix film about free diving ‘so scary’ after it’s release yesterday 

One person wrote: ‘My heart has been in my mouth since I turned #TheDeepestBreath on.

‘This is absolutely scary, emotional, everything all in one!’

One added: ‘Watching The Deepest Breath on Netflix about freediving and these people who try to set records.

‘It shows them blacking out on the way up. Very disturbing’

Another commented: ‘The second hand anxiety from watching The Deepest Breath on Netflix is incredible.’  

A fourth added: ‘I just watched The Deepest Breath. Absolutely heartbreaking. 

‘I was invested from the start and wish the ending had been different. Well worth a watch.’  

Another wrote: ‘Just watched this documentary on Netflix. Absolutely mesmerizing.’

One commented: ‘A profoundly beautiful, take-your-breath away documentary about one of the scariest sports in the world. 

‘This should be at the top of your Netflix list.’ 

Another added: ‘Run, don’t walk, to see the Deepest Breath on Netflix.

‘Hands down one of the most beautiful documentaries and love stories I have ever seen.

‘I am not okay. Beautifully executed by Laura McGann.’ 

Many viewers have said the documentary is ‘heartbreaking’ and ’emotional’ – as well as being terrifying

The film tells the story of divers Alessia and Stephen Keenan – who set out on a mission to break new records and reach new depths.

It looks into the most dangerous part of the dive where the swimmer returns to the surface which can lead to a ‘shallow water blackout’ – despite being just metres away from fresh air.

Footage of divers blacking out and being yanked out of the water by safety divers – experienced divers on-hand to help – is shown throughout the documentary, which was released on Netflix on July 19. 

In some instances, those partaking in the dives need to be revived by mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. 

In one scene, Alessia holds her breath for more than three and a half minutes as she swam almost the length of a football field.

In the clip, she takes sharp intakes of breath at the surface of the water before plunging into the water.

In one moment, diver Alessia Zecchini attempts to break a world record by freediving for four minutes 

She can be seen calmly swimming downwards using her feet to propel her body through the water.

The talented freediver descends while attached to a rope and uses her arms to guide herself to as far as she can go.

In the medium she competes in – constant weight apnea – freedivers are allowed to use their arms without pulling on the rope.

Soon the water begins to get dark as the sunlight can no longer penetrate through the ocean, but Ms Zecchini keeps swimming down.

Footage captures the diver reaching a platform and ripping off a tag from it before turning around and boosting upwards.

After breaking the astonishing record she rapidly swims as fast as possible back to the surface to get air.  

‘It’s very simple. The deepest dive wins’, the trailer explains. ‘You’ve gotta swim the length of a 70-storey skyscraper.

But it adds: ‘Freediving is an extreme sport – and extreme sports have extreme consequences.’

Director Laura McGann said she was inspired by the story of freedivers Stephen and Alessia. 

The Deepest Breath explores the extreme sport of freediving and gives viewers an inside look into the swimmers who compete against one another

It tells the story of divers Alessia Zecchini and Stephen Keenan – who set out on a mission to break new records and reach new depths

Safety diver Stephen worked with Alessia to help her achieve her ambition of becoming a world champion and the film explores how the sport fostered their relationship. 

McGann told the Sheffield Documentary Festival in June: ‘I started to look online and saw beautiful videos and short films about freedivers, and it made me feel something I had really never felt before.’

One of the diving locations Stephen and Alessia visit is the Blue Hole in Egypt, a 25-metre long tunnel nicknamed the ‘divers’ cemetery’ that lies 55 metres below the Red Sea. 

The film uses footage from the diving community as well as audios of interviews with Stephen and some reconstruction of the events. 

The trailer says: ‘Even when she was young, Alessia had some supernatural power with freediving. 

‘She wanted to become the deepest woman in the world.’

It looks into the most dangerous part of the dive where the swimmer returns to the surface which can lead to a ‘shallow water blackout’ – despite being just metres away from fresh air

Safety divers are trained professionals who shadow the others as they try to break new records

Meanwhile, Stephen had ‘the reputation of the best safety diver ever.’ 

The tense documentary shows the two pushing ‘close to the limits’ in order to achieve their free-diving record.  

It also tells the story of champion diver Natalia Molchanova, 53, who is presumed dead after a recreational dive in Ibiza in 2015. 

It is believed she was caught in underwater currents while swimming at a depth of around 114 feet. 

A holder of 41 separate diving records and the 23-time freediving world champion, Ms Molchanova’s record for a dive without fins is a staggering 232 feet. 

The Deepest Breath is due for release on Netflix on July 19.  

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