Dead Slow Ahead is a visually stunning and an often hypnotic film, shot on the massive freighter Fair Lady on its voyage across vast ocean expanses with its all-Filipino crew. Its first screening at the San Francisco International Film Festival (SFIFF) is on April 23.
Are we in for a sea adventure? Not exactly. Our guide is first-time Director Mauro Herce. His camera observes and so do we. He doesn’t explain what we are seeing – we have to connect the dots. We see the darkened bridge, the cavernous hold and unfamiliar ship machinery. The film opens with the beeps and tones of controls on the bridge; then we mostly hear the rhythmic lapping of the waves and the random groans of the ship. The effect is mesmerizing.
There are dramatic seascapes and some seriously impressive cloud weather. The few mariners handle the machinery and attend the bulk cargo. Given the expanse of open ocean and the vastness of the huge ship, everyday tasks seem heroic.
Where does the Fair Lady go? There are some coastlines, but usually we’re beyond the sight of land. The end credits thank workers in a series of Mediterranean ports plus Odessa, Port Said, Aqaba and New Orleans. But the where is not the point of Dead Slow Ahead.
Dead Slow Ahead won a special jury prize at the Locarno International Film Festival. It’s an impressive debut for Herce – one of those films that gradually envelopes the viewer.
The 59th San Francisco International Film Festival (SFIFF) runs through May 5. Throughout the fest, I’ll be linking more festival coverage to my SFFIF 2016 page, including both features and movie recommendations. Follow me on Twitter for the very latest coverage.