Big River Man

   

Who is the greatest swimmer of all time? Michael Phelps? Mark Spitz? If gold medals are your barometer, then maybe, but I’d like to see either of them drink two bottles of wine a day and still swim the length of the Amazon river. This feat is attempted by Martin Strel, an endurance swimmer from Slovenia, who swims rivers-the first to conquer the Mississippi, the Danube, and the Yangtze to date, the latter he says to highlight pollution in the world. In his fifties and with a belly like a medicine ball, his treacherous journey brings him face to face with many obstacles, including piranha, rapids, subcutaneous larvae and hook fish that love to swim up penises. Spearheading the expedition is Strel’s son and manager, Borut, who also becomes the film’s narrator. As the days go by, Strel’s physical fortitude is strained, along with his relationship with his son, not to mention his grip on reality. Part world-class sporting event, part circus sideshow, the film follows the colorful characters 3,375 miles over 66 days on history’s longest, most perilous swim. Director John Maringouin digs the many dimensions of Strel’s wine-fueled journey and crafts a near-expressionistic portrait of the event. Utilizing breathtaking and intimate cinematography, he evocatively captures the journey along the Amazon and into the heart of Strel’s darkness with all the human silliness in between…

Cinema Eye nominee: Outstanding Direction, Outstanding Production, Outstanding Original Music Score

“[A] harrowing, borderline insane adventure.” – Robert Koehler, Variety

NR, 100 Minutes
USA, 2009
Official Website: http://www.bigriverman.com/