Private Project

Into The Sea

After the 1999 super cyclone in Odisha, India, the fishermen of the coastal area still have their eyes set on the sea to catch a big haul of fish while constantly putting their lives at risk amidst those hazardous working conditions. They smile in the face of adversity; the strenuous labour, the never-ending work hours and the harsh weather, nothing can stop them from earning their livelihood. The boat owners and drivers are the ones who get the profit while these fishermen keep struggling to make their ends meet; without losing hope and positivity in their lives. Whatever circumstances they might face, they march ahead into the sea, towards the horizon, which they assume is their silver lining, making sure their next generations have a bright future ahead.

  • Ashish Kumar Nayak
    Director
  • Ashish Kumar Nayak
    Producer
  • Project Type:
    Documentary
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 28 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    July 1, 2023
  • Production Budget:
    6,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    India
  • Country of Filming:
    India
  • Language:
    Odia
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Ashish Kumar Nayak

Born in Odisha, India; studied Bachelor in Arts, a self-made filmmaker and screenwriter, Ashish Kumar Nayak, has made six short films, a short and a feature length documentary, written two feature length scripts, eight short scripts after quitting as a creative assistant in a production house in Mumbai. His short film "I PASSIONATE" had screened at Asia Peace Film Festival 2019 in Pakistan also screened at Kolkata International Film Festival 2022. His feature length documentary INTO THE SEA was screened at Film Southasia 2022 and awarded with Tareque Masud award for Best Debut Film. The film was officially selected at Indian Film Festival of Melbourne 2022, Australia and Cinemaking International Film Festival 2022, Bangladesh.

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Director Statement

It all started in the early days of 2016. I had recently finished working on three of my short films subsequently which I had a lot of free time. This period of idleness helped me reconnect with my dream of making a film based on real-life events in a longer format, and that is how I came up with the idea for 'Into the Sea'.
‘Into the Sea’ exemplifies my love for the sea-life; most of this love stems from the fact that I was born near the coastal region of Odisha. Spanning for over five years, it took us a year alone to get the necessary permissions for shooting. When we finally went into the sea with the fishermen to shoot, the Sea-God welcomed us with a cyclone. I wonder if there is anything scarier than facing a storm in the middle of the sea. There were many instances when our lives flashed before our eyes. Our bodies grew weak to the extent that we couldn’t stand straight. The sea constantly tossed our boat around; I remember how I could feel the food in my stomach juggling from one corner to another. Looking back, I feel it was all worth it.
Of the many lessons this film has taught me, the most valuable one is Hope. Failing to have their ends meet even after working endlessly and risking their lives daily, these fishermen continue to smile in the face of adversity with the hopes of securing the future of the next generation. I guess Andy Dufresne was right in ‘The Shawshank Redemption' when he said, "Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies.” And I know for sure, the hopes of these fishermen will stand the test of time.