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Jacques Mayol (1 April 1927 – 22 December 2001) was a French diver and the holder of many world records in free diving. The 1988 film The Big Blue, directed by Luc Besson, was inspired by his life story and that of his friend, Enzo Maiorca.
Learn about the life and legacy of Jacques Mayol, the legendary free-diver who inspired Luc Besson's The Big Blue. Watch the film that captures his journey and the sensory experience of free-diving.
Nov 30, 2021 · Jacques Mayol was already a profoundly respected freediver when the Sicilian Maiorca showed up on the scene, claiming the world record with a dive to 49m in 1960 and pushing the limit to 54m in 1965. Mayol was not obviously competitive by nature but he stole the Sicilian’s record by diving to 60m off the Bahamas the following year.
Plot. Two children, Jacques Mayol and Enzo Molinari, grow up on the Greek island of Amorgos in the 1960s. Enzo challenges Jacques to collect a coin on the sea floor but Jacques refuses. Jacques' father—who harvests shellfish from the seabed using a pump-supplied air hose and helmet —goes diving.
A documentary about Jacques Mayol, the legendary free-diver and inspiration for The Big Blue. Learn about his life, legacy, and the sensory and transformative experience of free-diving.
A documentary about the life-story and legacy of legendary freediver Jacques Mayol, who became the inspiration for Luc Besson’s cult-movie “The Big Blue”.
Dec 26, 2001 · Jacques Mayol, the legendary breath-hold or free diver whose feats were chronicled in director Luc Besson’s 1988 film “The Big Blue,” has died of an apparent suicide. He was 74.
