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The Journey

Film director and screenwriter Jan Kounen and Anne Paris co-direct an unique human adventure of an "oceanic" pregnancy, alongside dolphins and whales in the wild.

Leina Sato is a Japanese free diver and is expecting her first child. Her partner, Jean-Marie Ghislain is a famous underwater photographer. Brought together by their love for the sea, they share a passion for inter-species communication and believe in the existence of a strong bond between a mother-to-be and cetaceans.
The toothed whales and dolphins' sonar is a biological scanning machine. They are capable of producing sonograms of extreme precision, and thus detecting the presence of a foetus in the very early stages of a pregnancy by keying into his « second heartbeat."

The couple will dive into a journey around the globe to interact with four cetacean communities throughout the pregnancy to the birth.

"The Journey" relates the story of an inter-species adventure, around the universal question of giving birth and the power of creating life.

  • Anne Paris
    Director
    L'Esprit du Film, Le Temps d'un tournage, Lara Fabian Intime, Un cri d'Homme sur une toile vierge
  • Jan Kounen
    Director
    Darshan, Other Worlds, Renegade, 99 Francs, Dobermann, Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky,
  • Jan Kounen
    Writer
    Renegade
  • Anne Paris
    Writer
    Elixir
  • Bellota Films
    Producer
  • Le 27 Productions
    Producer
  • France Télévision
    Producer
  • Leina Sato
    Key Cast
  • Jean-Marie Ghislain
    Key Cast
  • Tim Calver
    Underwater Videographers
  • René Heuzey
    Underwater Videographers
  • Yves Lefèvre
    Underwater Videographers
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    Mère Océan
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Television
  • Genres:
    Wildlife, Nature, Ocean, Human Adventure
  • Runtime:
    52 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    February 1, 2016
  • Production Budget:
    320,000 EUR
  • Country of Origin:
    France
  • Country of Filming:
    Bahamas, France, French Polynesia, Mauritius, United States Minor Outlying Islands
  • Language:
    English, French, Japanese
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Visions Du Réel
    Nyons
    Switzerland
    April 22, 2016
  • 24 heures de Méditation pour les Océans
    Paris
    France
    June 12, 2016
Distribution Information
  • France5
    Country: France
Director - Anne Paris, Jan Kounen