Jago: A Life Underwater

I watched this film over and over again. i think this is a very very good film. music wise. cindemaphotograpy yes. it touches feeling too. thanks to james reed and team.

This documentary tells a great diver in Indonesia, who spends his live diving into the beautiful waters to catch fish.

The scenery is really beautiful, and furthermore it is fantastically presented to the viewers. All the angles, framing, lighting and back lighting are just superb, making very scene picture perfect. The story is great as well. Putting Rohani's dive right at the last builds anticipation. I really enjoyed it.

Jago is a (too) short documentary on an eighty year old Indonesian fish hunter. That's what you're expecting to see anyway. The reality is an absolutely mesmerising visual autobiography and a masterpiece in cinematographic storytelling. The set is an old man in his hut, relating his youth and how he came to be who he is. Subtitles unfold to the rhythm of his voice, and a re-enactment, as artistic as any award winning film, replay the story as if it was a very vivid prehistoric mythology. Sometimes the story carries on entirely visually, along with a superb musical score. Nothing is spelled out, dissected or explained. A shimmer in the water, a sparkling bubble, a teenage smile or a tear in the eyes of the old man say it all without any need for words. The story itself is a real life story and is quite simple, but it is all weaved like a poem and indeed the hero is a poet. Again, most is left unsaid and it is up to you to retrieve it, it's all there in a non verbal form. Simple it may be but no less elating nor harrowing.

Can I just add how beautiful that part of the world is, and how young and beautiful that old man truly is.

45 minutes you will never forget.

What an experience a privilege to watch this skilful man way of life. I was totally absorbed in his story and the superb cinematography. This story looks so simply but this is deceiving it's full of heart fill of knowledge and most of all full of spirit. If you get the chance to see this masterpiece grab it and prepared to be amazed and blown away by Jago and the film crew who together have excelled with storytelling at it's best.

Highly recommended. The camera work, footage, music combined with the simplicity makes this a masterpiece.