16/49
In The Last of the Sea Women, an extraordinary band of warrior grandmothers wage a spirited battle against vast oceanic threats. Often referred to as true mermaids, the haenyo divers of South Korea’s Jeju Island have been known for centuries to dive to the bottom of the ocean – without oxygen – to collect seafood for a living. Today, when most Haenyo are in their 60s, 70s and 80s, their traditions and way of life are in imminent danger. But these fierce, funny, hard-working women refuse to give an inch, aided by the younger generation’s struggle to revive their ancestral lifestyles through social media. Glimpsing what drives Haenyeo young and old, this poignant documentary focuses on their close-knit friendships, shrewd independence and contagious sense of empowerment, unfolding in an inspiring story of women who take on world powers to protect their beloved ocean and to inspire a new generation.