Deeper | Dir: Jennifer Peedom | M | ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Harry became fascinated with underwater diving when he was young, and when he studied to be an anesthesiologist, he began training with more experienced divers. Who would have thought that a diver who was also an anesthesiologist would be just what was needed to rescue 12 Thai children and their teacher from a flooded underwater cave?
More than 100 divers were involved in the complicated rescue, but it was Dr Richard Harris, known as Harry, who suggested that the panicked boys who couldn’t swim be sedated and floated out to the cave entrance while unconscious.
The success of the 2018 rescue went round the world and Dr Richard Harris and fellow Australian diver Dr Craig Challen were given the honour of being Australians of the Year in 2019. But there were more caves to dive and more challenges to meet.
Documentary maker Jennifer Peedom, whose films include Sherpa (2015), Mountain (2017) and River (2021), accompanied Harris, Craig and their support team to a cave in a remote part of New Zealand that could possibly be the deepest dived cave in the world.
Anything shot in New Zealand is going to be breathtaking, but the footage as the divers go deeper and deeper into the underground cave actually takes your breath away. The divers know the multiple dangers, but continue to push themselves beyond previous limits, as addiction defeats logic.
As well as the physical challenges, Peedom’s film also captures the emotional drive that makes Harris continue to undertake his extremely dangerous extreme sport, despite the anguish it causes him and his loved ones. She also captures the camaraderie that helps ensure the success of the mission.
Dr Richard Harris and Dr Craig Challen will be at the launch of Deeper on Sunday 12 October at 3.30pm, at Luna Leederville, for a live Q&A.
Lezly Herbert
