‘Learning to Breathe Under Water’ Review: Film Uses Headington Shark as Grief Story Starting Point
7 reported
A new film titled "Learning to Breathe Under Water" uses the real-life Headington Shark sculpture as the starting point for a fictional story about grief and healing, according to a review published by Variety. The film, directed by Rebekah Fortune, premiered at the Karlovy Vary film festival in the Special Screenings sidebar. The story follows a middle-aged British artist named Peter and his pre-teen son Leo, who have lived quietly since the death of their wife and mother. They hire a Bulgarian au pair named Anya, played by Oscar nominee Maria Bakalova, who helps them begin to reconnect with the outside world. The film features performances from BAFTA nominee Rory Kinnear as Peter and 11-year-old Irish actor Ezra Carlisle as Leo. The review notes the film is a "heart-on-sleeve tearjerker" that is "highly likable" and expected to appeal to festival audiences and indie distributors.
What’s reported
The film "Learning to Breathe Under Water" uses the Headington Shark sculpture as a starting point for a fictional story.
The real Headington Shark is a 25-foot fibreglass model of a shark's rear half on a house roof in Oxford, England, created in 1986 by sculptor John Buckley and homeowner Bill Heine as protest art against nuclear warfare and military airstrikes.
The film premiered at the Karlovy Vary film festival in the Special Screenings sidebar.
Director Rebekah Fortune previously directed the 2017 teen drama "Just Charlie."
The film stars Maria Bakalova (Oscar nominee), Rory Kinnear (BAFTA nominee), and Ezra Carlisle (11-year-old Irish actor).
The script was written by Richard Brabin.
The film's production designer is May Davies.
Key figures
Rebekah Fortune (director)
Maria Bakalova (actress, plays Anya)
Rory Kinnear (actor, plays Peter)
Ezra Carlisle (actor, plays Leo)
Richard Brabin (screenwriter)
May Davies (production designer)
John Buckley (sculptor of real Headington Shark)
Bill Heine (homeowner of real Headington Shark)
Sources: Variety
