Before becoming a movie for Netflix called Under the Influence, the story of free divers Francisco Ferraras and his wife Audrey Mestre had to be made by a great director.
Under the Influence, the film that takes the top spot on Netflix, Camille Rowe plays a student who falls under the spell of world champion apnea, played by Sofiane Zerman. Very quickly, the idyll becomes complicated when the athlete exerts his power over the young woman.
This relationship is inspired by the real-life couple Audrey Mestri and Francisco Ferreras, who met in 1996 before sharing their passion for freediving and scuba diving. As in the feature film, this story also has a tragic ending: a French woman tries to break a new record in the Dominican Republic in 2002.
Two years later, in 2004, his companion, the Cuban Francisco Ferreras, released an autobiography. to dive, in which he revisits his relationship with Audrey Mestre at length. Even before the book was published, director James Cameron bought the rights to adapt it into a full-length film.
The man behind Titanic and Avatar never hides his interest in the seabed. Moreover, the tragic history of the Mestre-Ferrera couple corresponds to the sensitivity and style of the author. Screenwriter Laeta Kalogridis (Shutter Island, Alexandre) has been hired to write the film.
Years pass and the project struggles to take shape. In 2012, film director Martin Campbell – the director of Casino Royale, among others – was announced as James Cameron’s replacement. Three years later, Francis Lawrence – the director of The Hunger Games – is finally responsible for taking control. James Cameron would remain, as for him, a simple producer. The name of Jennifer Lawrence is floating around for the role of Audrey Mestre.
Today, the project is at a standstill, and it no longer seems relevant to the Oscar-winning actor. While under the influence, a 2013 documentary film directed by Alison Ellwood called No Limits tells the story of a French woman.
Under influence Available on Netflix.
Source: allocine
Emily Jhon is a product and service reviewer at Gossipify, known for her honest evaluations and thorough analysis. With a background in marketing and consumer research, she offers valuable insights to readers. She has been writing for Gossipify for several years and has a degree in Marketing and Consumer Research from the University of Oxford.
