“Freediver” is a new documentary from Paramount Pictures. Filmmaker Michael John Warren tells the story of freediver Alexey Molchanov, the world’s greatest freediver. He is also the son of freediving pioneer Natalia Molchanova. It is based on the GQ article, “Secrets of the Deep”, by Daniel Riley. This film is now available on Prime Video, or you can buy or rent it on Digital.
A CONVERSATION WITH THE FILMMAKER
With the release of “Freediver” on digital, I spoke with Michael John Warren. He wrote and directed the film following Alexey Molchanov on his journey in this deadly sport. In our conversation, Warren shared with us all of the challenges in making the documentary. From assembling the team that included divers and renting equipment to having to travel miles offshore to the diving spots.
Warren also talked about what it was like to document the life of Molchanov. He talked about his personality and what he was able to take away from his time alongside him. Overall it was a great chat that you can check out below.
MORE ABOUT “FREEDIVER”
After geopolitics forced him into exile, Alexey Molchanov – the world’s greatest living freediver and the son of freediving pioneer Natalia Molchanova – spent 2023 on a journey to reclaim his athletic glory and honor his iconic mother’s towering legacy by attempting the most dominant season in the history of the deadly sport.
His near-suicidal quest to set five world records in under four months brings him to the farthest reaches of the globe and the very edges of human performance. In the process, he’s forced to reevaluate all the skills and beliefs on which he has built his entire life.
ALSO SEE: THE DEVIL’S CLIMB: ALEX HONNOLD AND TOMMY CALDWELL ON THEIR EPIC JOURNEY
