Contra a Maré

About This Movie

Contra a Maré is a gritty documentary that casts a stark light on the lives of fishermen navigating the polluted waters of Sepetiba Bay. The film's atmosphere is heavy, almost suffocating at times, as it captures the harsh reality of their daily struggles against environmental decay. The pacing feels deliberate, allowing viewers to absorb the weight of the fishermen’s stories, their families depending on a diminishing resource. There's a rawness to the visuals that makes it distinctive—like you're right there with them, feeling the tension between survival and ecological ruin. The performances, though real and unscripted, convey a depth of emotion that can be quite moving. It’s a film that asks hard questions about humanity’s impact on nature, without ever feeling preachy.

Themes of environmental struggleReal-life fishermen storiesIntimate visual style