Freedom

What a joy to see this gem at the Berlin Berlinale. I went knowing and expecting nothing... and to be honest? Having seen another film made using young inexperienced Cambodian actors that somehow didn't touch me... i was not expecting a whole lot.

I go to films, wanting an immersive experience. It doesn't take much to snap me out of the moment. An actor with 2 lines who somehow manages to deliver them poorly, mood music that is masturbatory in its dramatic emotion levels.... poor scripting, silly, boring premises.

I got to the end of Buoyancy and was so sad for the moment to have ended. Just wonderful film making. Such a solid effort from the whole cast.... i believed every single one of them were living what i was seeing not just acting... but Sarm... the lead? Wow. What a performance.

The story itself I won't touch as I don't want to spoil it for those who have not seen it.. but its gut wrenchingly realistic, brutal, human and inhuman all at once. I really can't think of another movie to compare it to.

Just wow.

No one can hear you out on the open sea. Nobody knows you exist.

A Cambodian boy runs away from his family and a life of poverty, only to discover that there are worse things. He survives by bringing choice fish to the captain and becoming his favorite.

You become afraid of people, even of daylight. If you are lucky enough to avoid the beatings, sicknesses, injuries, torture, and being thrown overboard, a cup of rice is the reward for working around the clock shoveling scraps of fish for dog food. You have nothing. This is your home forever.

An estimated 200,000 people are enslaved in the scrappy fishing industry of southeast Asia. The survivors want to "tell people about their nightmares." Buoyancy is their collected story. This truly captivating story is enough to make me not accept a drink from a stranger ever again.

A 14 year old boy, Chakra (Sarm Heng), is tired of working hard and receiving only a small amount of money from his family. Chakra believes he is the hardest worker within the family and wants something more. He decides to run away from home and work elsewhere. His goal is to earn more money and return home to his family in due time. Unfortunately, Chakra is soon sold off to a slave worker who captains a Thai fishing boat. Chakra soon learns the Captain has cruel ways of running his ship. When Chakra and his fellow slaves don't submit to the daily work required or obey the rules, punishment and cruelty is enforced.

Buoyancy as a film is shot wonderfully. The film's style is rather creative in creating tension, drama and showing wonderful landscape and scenery shots. The director appears to enjoy aerial shots which were also effective in key moments.

Performances were outstanding, particularly from the leading actor played by Sarm Heng. He is simply convincing and believable. Portraying the situation the character falls into would not have been an easy task, especially considering this is based on real themes and event. Supporting actors, particularly those who are also on the fishing boats, were also outstanding.

Tension is a key element. With quality all around performances there is also a suspenseful element in this film, especially in regards to the film's audio track. The audio track has a huge part to play. It is somewhat basic but highly effective during tense moments.

Overall, make no mistake, Buoyancy can be classed as a tough drama film to watch but I personally have no regrets in seeing it. This film was a positive experience filled with solid performances and I would gladly recommend this film to many others.

8.1/10 Walkden Entertainment

The cruel business of Asian forced-labour fishing is no joke, but if you want to make a movie of it, it still has to work as a movie.

Rathjen largely succeeds, aided by fine camera work, and cinematic interludes that break up what would otherwise be an unbearably grim tale. The interludes might be a high-altitude shot of the death boat, a thoughtful moment of beauty, or a flashback to the young conscript's home village.

The ending strikes an apt note, neither too sad nor too sentimental. It's hard to imagine this one will do huge box office, so let's hope that Rathjen comes back for another round. Talented Australian directors are rare, and rarer still do they kick on for longer careers.

Story 9/10... Cinematography 9/10... Acting 10/10... Impact 9/10.

This film was a remarkable example of how to do traumatic drama correctly. If it existed, I would have watched another 2 hours and been completely engulfed in the story and lives on screen.

Typically, foreign films shot in 3rd world countries lack much of which is desired in a movie. For this reason I am often skeptical when one aims to address any sort of traumatic theme or disturbing topic. The normal approach is to overdo gore and take advantage of the locals or "conditions". However, Buoyancy balances realism and inserted facts with a well thought out plot to create an environment very unique to it. The film's intention was set out to spread awareness about the slave trade still occurring on shipping vessels, while evoking emotion from viewers. Both of which were completely engulfed within the film.

Many of the other reviews have already complemented the significance of the film and how well the entirety of it was. For this reason I will not echo what they have said. This film taught me something I was unaware of, and something widely ignored by mainstream media/news. I would rank this movie's quality alongside Precious and 12 Years a Slave.

Disclaimer: as others put it, this film can be tough to watch. If you are used to extreme cinema it is a refreshing break from over the top scenes, so much so I would argue this movie could warrant more intensity/gore. This type of thing I often look down upon but the movie's theme truly permits it to impact its viewers deeply. If you are used to sad dramas, be weary as this one truly has the capacity to stick with someone.