Meet Rémi Demarthon
Writer-director and underwater cinematographer specialising in wildlife documentaries, discover Rémi Demarthon, Breier ambassador.
Who are you ?
My name is Rémi DEMARTHON, and I'm a writer-director and underwater cinematographer specialising in wildlife documentaries. A lover of the ocean since childhood, I have a boundless passion for large marine predators, particularly sharks and toothed whales.
How did you discover your passion for the ocean?
I grew up near the Arcachon Basin, where I had my first saltwater baths, then travelled a lot thanks to my parents, and it was certainly when we moved to Port-Gentil in Gabon that I was able to nurture this growing passion for the sea. At the age of 6, I went on my first snorkelling trips with my father, saw my first sharks and had the privilege of seeing leatherback turtles laying their eggs on the beach in the middle of the night. We were out on the water every weekend, the wildlife was everywhere, easily accessible, and it left a deep impression on me.
Even when scuba diving, you use carbon fins. Why ?
I use my carbon fins quite regularly for scuba diving when the site is suitable and there is enough room to move around without risking damaging the substrate or lifting too much sediment. When filming underwater, stability is vital and you want to avoid any disruptive movement created by your own body, especially while finning. The C8 carbon of my 760 series fins gives me excellent glide and good stability for smooth, low-angle strokes. This very good performance helps me to achieve fluid tracking and to follow animals more easily, without any sudden movements. It's hard to do without carbon once you've had a taste of it!
You work with nature on a daily basis. How does it impact your outlook on life?
Quite often, it helps me to take a step back from myself, to put things into perspective and enjoy the present moment more fully. The wild resonates with me in a way I can't find anywhere else. Each animal encounter imposes humility, respect for a world that we must learn to share and protect better, now more than ever.
Is your desire to share still intact?
In the current context, the desire to pass on this admiration for Nature is growing and seems ever more urgent, and although I love the field and being at the heart of the action, sharing these experiences with the public, young and old, is far more enriching. Despite what you may hear, it's great and very motivating to see how much children know about Nature today, much more than I did at their age. Unfortunately, they are also very exposed to the anxieties of the threats facing our world. It's up to us, as guides, to accompany them as best we can, with great care and benevolence.
What are your next projects?
My dream is to make a film in the mythical Galapagos Islands, and to have this direct, unprejudiced contact with wildlife that has no fear of man.
Apart from making films, I'd also like to get more involved in the conservation of our natural heritage in the Mediterranean, which is my daily playground. As for the rest, I'll let the future bring its inexorable share of surprises!
