“The Last of the Sea Women” (2024)
When I saw that the premise of “The Last of the Sea Women” was that it followed “real-life mermaids,” I was hooked.
This documentary follows a group of women on South Korea’s Jeju Island who work as haenyeo, divers who harvest a variety of mollusks, seaweed and other sea life. Traditionally, they do this with simple equipment, not using oxygen to get the ocean floor and often just harvesting near the shore, eliminating the need for a boat.
“The Last of the Sea Women” gives the history of the haenyeo, an in-depth look at the lives they live now and what might be ahead. It is an interesting juxtaposition of gorgeous sea life, the everyday lives these women lead and some extraordinary circumstances where they have to advocate for their livelihood.
Between most of the women reaching an advanced age and environmental threats like the aftermath of the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster, this traditional way of life is reaching a tipping point.
A truly compelling documentary, “The Last of the Sea Women” captures the wide range of emotions these women feel working such a physically demanding job.