A Fisherman's story

A young man searching for adventure.

An old man reminiscing about the past; the journey from his native land to a place he now calls home. Two generations, seemingly so different, embrace in one common interest; their love for her. Who is she? Is she the light of the Madonna that guides their spirits? Or is she the village they've grown to adore?

What causes them to meet on the sea with the same vigorous passion? They have come to know her intimately, perhaps without even realizing it. It is love for the mirror of the sea that stands before them and links everything together; the point from which their lives reflect.

Our story is about a small port city off the coast of Calabria called Soverato. It is the impact of this town and its relations within each family that we wish to detail. What caused the older generation to move here? What keeps the young generation from moving away? Why is this tiny fishing village so magnetic? Looking in, one cannot ignore the spirituality that surrounds the town.

This is easily understood when participating in the festival of the Madonna di Porto Salvo, a custom that dates back nearly 100 years and began with one man's faith.

This annual procession winds through the village and ends at the sea where villagers gather along the shore and those pleading for a miracle throw themselves in as the Madonna passes. For those who bear witness to this profound event it is a life changing experience.

Most importantly, this is a story about relationships. The affair between the sea and the men that make a living from it's offering. These men work independently from each other and yet they are intertwined, a union that is undeniable after viewing the fishing of the "Cinciolo". During this time, the fishermen collaborate in gathering this elusive fish. Its a very delicate process, one that entails a luring dance between many boats; truly a sight to behold.

For one year we'll follow each man and document the elements that make up his life. We'll examine the way in which their age gap alters their reality and in doing so begin to see the layers of the family dynamic unfold. We will observe their parallel lives and experience with them the moments where their paths join together as well as the times when they drift apart.

At the beginning of each day the two men meet at the beach and after following their lives for a short time we discover their routine. The elder arrives first and examines the current and other factors that determine what the sea has to offer that day. Our younger fisherman arrives later, usually after a night of dancing or staying out with his girlfriend. After work he sleeps until it's time to go out again. His lifestyle is dramatically differentin comparison to the older fisherman who instead lives quietly, dedicating his energy to the sea. Necessity and respect keep these men loyal to their gulf and in the end they protect the hand that feeds them.

The complexities and simplicity of daily life as shown through the eyes of the young and old will disappear… into the tides of the sea. Her power can unify any two people, especially two men who share the same adoration and love for her. And so, our journey begins and ends there, in the sea.