Leviathan

Leviathan captures the harsh reality of commercial fishing off the coast of New Bedford, Massachusetts. Directors Lucien Castaing-Taylor and Véréna Paravel from Harvard’s Sensory Ethnography Lab present an immersive experience that eschews traditional documentary conventions.

The film takes plunges into the world of a groundfish trawler, offering a visceral portrayal of the fishing industry. It forgoes interviews, narration, or explanatory text, instead relying on raw, unfiltered footage to convey the brutal nature of the work. The camera becomes an active participant, moving from the deck to the depths of the ocean, capturing the relentless struggle between man, nature, and machine.

Through a series of striking visual and auditory sequences, the documentary presents the grueling labor of the fishermen, the mechanical processes of the trawler, and the fate of the catch. The film’s perspective shifts constantly, sometimes focusing on the wrinkled skin of a worker’s face, other times diving underwater or soaring with seagulls. This approach creates a disorienting yet captivating experience that blurs the line between reality and abstraction.

The documentary’s title, taken from the Book of Job, alludes to the monstrous and unconquerable nature of the sea. This theme is reinforced throughout the film, as it showcases the harsh conditions faced by the fishermen and the unforgiving power of the ocean.