A Drop in the Ocean 臨淵入魚

Film

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Feature Film
UK Premiere

Two free-diving athletes, Hua-Yang Huang and Afa Zhang, push their bodies to the limit in this captivating documentary from Taiwan.

Information

Programme History

Part of Queer East Festival 2026

Director: Holo Wang
Runtime: 70 Mins
Year: 2025
Country: Taiwan

Two free-diving athletes, Hua-Yang Huang and Afa Zhang, push their bodies to the limit in this captivating documentary from Taiwan. Competing to break records and win contests, the friendly rivals dive to astonishing depths whilst holding their breath, often at significant risk to their health, as they experience blackouts, bleeding, and barotrauma. Yet while this takes a heavy psychological toll, the successful dives bring a sense of elated triumph and almost spiritual serenity. Director Holo Wang explores the pair’s determination and endurance, as well as dancer Afa’s stunning transformation into a mermaid, journeying from a Taipei Pride float to the 2023 China Mermaid Open Championship. The mesmerising underwater cinematography captures the beauty of the divers’ exertions as they lose themselves in the tranquil, mysterious depths