The Sailor - A film you won't want to miss!
by Daria Blackwell 25 Sep 2022 13:54 UTC
The Sailor © Daria Blackwell
The Sailor is a documentary about an 80-year-old who valued his freedom so much that he has never truly lived on land. This English sailor sacrificed everything so that he could live only at sea.
Paul Erling Johnson was born on the Hamble on a boat. After a short stint in the English Navy during the Falklands War, he bought a boat and sailed solo across the Atlantic Ocean. He has never stopped and never truly lived on land since.
This acclaimed film tells the extraordinary story of a man who loved, drank lots of vodka, and lived foolishly, terrifying himself on many occasions. He sailed his entire life and has now washed ashore on the island of Carriacou in the Caribbean. As he approaches his 80th birthday, he and his boat are no longer fit to sail.
What was the price of his freedom? Was he lonely? How would this journey end? How does any such extraordinary journey end?
As he contemplates his life and his death, he plans for the final journey to eternity, though he never thought he would live this long.
The Sailor, directed by Slovakian Filmmaker Lucia Kašová, was seen by American audiences at the 39th annual Flickers Rhode Island International Film Festival and featured at festivals around the world. The Sailor received The International Critics Prize from The International Federation of Film Critics at the Ismailia International Film Festival in Egypt among other accolades. It is wonderful!
The Sailor is available for streaming online via Vimeo, Amazon Prime, and WaterBear (free).
This article has been provided by the courtesy of Ocean Cruising Club.