The Deep Med

The Deep Med

From Marseille to Monaco, a dazzling discovery of the 100-meter-deep zone, at the cost of a technological and human feat orchestrated by Laurent Ballesta

2020 · 96 min · ★ 8.2 · Documentary

The Mediterranean. Because people have been travelling there for thousands of years, it is believed to be without secrets. And yet, far below its surface, lie vast unexplored territories, luxurious gardens worthy of the finest tropical coral reefs. These natural wonders are inaccessible to the traditional diver, in a twilight zone, between 60 and 120 m, where there’s less than 1% of sunlight. If diving at such depths is always a challenge, staying there is a fantasy, a utopia that becomes reality in Planet Mediterranean. In the tradition of Commander Cousteau and his "houses under the sea," the team of diver-photographer Laurent Ballesta is undertaking a new world-record setting mission in complete freedom and without time limit.

Directed by Gil Kébaïli · Written by Laurent Ballesta

Your Rating

Where to Watch

Streaming

Rent or Buy

Cast

Laurent Ballesta Self - Plongeur, photographe, biologiste marin
Thibault Rauby Self - Plongeur
Antonin Guilbert Self - Plongeur
Yanick Gentil Self - Plongeur
Ludivine Sagnier Narratrice (voice)

Trailers & Videos

Make it a double feature

2h 3m together

The Deep Med

700 Sharks (Gombessa 4, Genesis)

Both from Gil Kébaïli.

More from Gil KébaïliSee all →

700 Sharks (Gombessa 4, Genesis)

700 Sharks (Gombessa 4, Genesis) · 2016

700 Sharks (Gombessa 4, Genesis)

MovieDocumentary

Originally, in 2014, Laurent Ballesta had just one precise objective: to unravel the mystery of groupers. To understand the issues involved in their collective reproduction. But although focused on the study of groupers, the real surprise came from the sharks. Never before had the team been confronted with such a density of grey reef sharks. The divers took up the challenge of counting them. Methodically, they repeated the operation many times to arrive at the impressive figure of 700 grey reef sharks. Each year, the team returned to the southern pass of Fakarava in French Polynesia. Until 2019, for the fourth expedition, "Gombessa 4" is the synthesis of precise and unique scientific protocols. The mission demonstrated that shark hunts are not anarchic, but rely in part on social organization within the horde, following in the footsteps of the 700 grey sharks in "700 sharks in the night (Gombessa 4, Genesis)".

Sulawesi, expédition au coeur de l'île mystère

Sulawesi, expédition au coeur de l'île mystère · 2019

Sulawesi, expédition au coeur de l'île mystère

MovieDocumentary

The Grouper Mystery

The Grouper Mystery · 2015

The Grouper Mystery

MovieDocumentary

In French Polynesia, there is a place where every year, thousands of groupers gather in secret followed by hundreds of sharks… The photographer, diver and biologist Laurent Ballesta, with his team, wanted to better understand what motivates these fish to wait until the exact day of the full moon to spawn all at once! With the help of researchers from the CNRS of Moorea, they dived and conducted numerous experiments to study and witness this unique phenomenon. Taking advantage of this period of incredible richness, Laurent Ballesta did a record dive of 24 hours at over 20 meters.

Méditerranée : la face immergée des volcans

Méditerranée : la face immergée des volcans · 2023

Méditerranée : la face immergée des volcans

MovieDocumentary

With the help of diver and biologist Laurent Ballesta, a scientific expedition explores three sunken Italian volcanic sites in the Mediterranean.

The Coelacanth, a dive into our origins

The Coelacanth, a dive into our origins · 2013

The Coelacanth, a dive into our origins

MovieDocumentary

Gombessa Expedition 1 To dive for the Coelacanth is to go back in time. In 1938, when it was known only as a fossil, a Coelacanth was discovered in South Africa in a fisherman's net. This species bears witness to an evolutionary bifurcation 380 million years ago, and bears the marks of a great event: the day the fish left the ocean for the open air. Does it hold the secret to the transition to walking on land? In 2010, a marine biologist and outstanding diver, Laurent Ballesta, took the first photographs of the Coelacanth in its ecosystem. In April 2013, divers and researchers set down their equipment at the Sodwana base camp in South Africa, in the club founded by Peter Timm (who died in 2014). Six weeks of extreme diving at depths of over 120 meters, in an attempt to film the Coelacanth with a double-headed camera, collect its DNA and tag a subject with a satellite-linked beacon...

La Véritable Histoire du radeau de La Méduse

La Véritable Histoire du radeau de La Méduse · 2015

La Véritable Histoire du radeau de La Méduse

MovieDocumentaryHistory

On July 5, 1816, the raft of La Méduse, about 20 by 12 meters, began its slow drift. They left at 151 and 13 days later, after a hellish journey, arrived at 15... Who knows the true story of Le Radeau de La Méduse? Painted in 1819, Théodore Géricault's romantic masterpiece became so famous that it has since overshadowed the true story that inspired it. In June 1816, during the Restoration under Louix XVIII, a French ship, the Méduse, left the port of Rochefort bound for Senegal. Its crew, made up of the new governor Schamaltz, company officials, troops and the expeditionary corps, had to settle in this former colony restored to France by England. In all, some 400 passengers. But due to the unpredictable cartography of the time and the short-sightedness of its commander, La Méduse ran aground on a sandbank off the coast of Mauritania.

Expéditions au cœur des mondes perdus

Expéditions au cœur des mondes perdus · 2017

Expéditions au cœur des mondes perdus

SeriesAction & AdventureDocumentary

Antarctica, in the footsteps of the Emperor

Antarctica, in the footsteps of the Emperor · 2016

Antarctica, in the footsteps of the Emperor

MovieDocumentary

Gombessa Expedition 3 Protected by an international treaty Antarctica has been spared the effects of hunting and fishing. But signs in ice’s cyclical patterns and its biodiversity have become worrying. Connected to the planet’s global ecosystem via atmospheric circulation and ocean currents, this white haven is suffering the effects of human activities. To document and explain what is unfolding in Antarctica, photographer, diver, and marine biologist Laurent Ballesta and photographer of extreme environments Vincent Munier will be blending their artistic perspectives of a rapidly changing continent. Laurent will tackle technical and human prowess below the ice to bear witness to its remarkable underwater life. His photographs will advance knowledge on Antarctica’s unique and little-known biodiversity. On land, his eye riveted to the lens of his camera, Vincent captures snapshots of life in an Emperor Penguin colony.

Ushuaïa Nature

Ushuaïa Nature · 1998

Ushuaïa Nature

SeriesDocumentary

In each episode, an exotic part of the world, of various extent, either on land and/or in the sea, defined by natural geography or human population, is presented. Native wildlife, natural conditions and their interaction with local people are examined.

Surviving the Lagoon

Surviving the Lagoon · 2018

Surviving the Lagoon

MovieDocumentary

In the heart of the a vast ocean, the atolls of the Pacific are like oasis in a sprawling desert. Each one contains a unique and breathtaking environment. Where the reef breaks, the ecosystem of the lagoon flourishes. Filmed in UHD and extreme slow motion, this film captures the exclusive behavior of the creatures that live here, including sharks, whales, manta rays, groupers, and many more.

Frankreich aus der Luft

Frankreich aus der Luft · 2014

Frankreich aus der Luft

MovieDocumentary

France is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. The fascinating variety of landscapes combined with a rich cultural heritage, symbolized by fantastic buildings and cathedrals the beauty of France. Almost 3500 kilometers of coastline with golden sandy beaches, imposing, deep cliffs and vast forests resembling a green mystical carpet - you simply have to fall in love with France's coasts. In a dreamlike flight along the North Sea, Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts, we visit over 30 incomparable harbor towns, filmed for the first time from a perspective that fully captures the beauty of these places.

More Like This

Aliens of the Deep

Aliens of the Deep · 2005

Aliens of the Deep

MovieDocumentary

James Cameron teams up with NASA scientists to explore the Mid-Ocean Ridge, a submerged chain of mountains that band the Earth and are home to some of the planet's most unique life forms.

Ghosts of the Abyss

Ghosts of the Abyss · 2003

Ghosts of the Abyss

MovieDocumentary

With a team of the world's foremost historic and marine experts as well as friend Bill Paxton, James Cameron embarks on an unscripted adventure back to the wreck of the Titanic where nearly 1,500 souls lost their lives almost a century ago.

More on Prime VideoSee all →

The Devil's Mouth

The Devil's Mouth · 2026

The Devil's Mouth

MovieHorrorThriller

A group of college friends' Thailand adventure turns deadly when they become trapped in submerged caves with a dangerous predator. As oxygen runs low, past conflicts emerge in their desperate fight for survival.

Masters of the Universe

Masters of the Universe · 2026

Masters of the Universe

MovieActionFantasy

After being separated for 15 years, the Sword of Power leads Prince Adam back to Eternia, where he discovers his home shattered under the fiendish rule of Skeletor. To save his family and his world, Adam must join forces with his closest allies, Teela and Duncan/Man-At-Arms, and embrace his true destiny as He-Man — the most powerful man in the universe.

War of the Worlds

War of the Worlds · 2025

War of the Worlds

MovieScience FictionThriller

Will Radford is a top analyst for Homeland Security who tracks potential threats through a mass surveillance program, until one day an attack by an unknown entity leads him to question whether the government is hiding something from him... and from the rest of the world.

Beast Race

Beast Race · 2026

MovieActionScience Fiction

In future Rio de Janeiro, a young leader of the resistance must enter a deadly parkour-inspired competition in order to save his sister's life.

The Sheep Detectives

The Sheep Detectives · 2026

The Sheep Detectives

MovieComedyFamily

George Hardy is a shepherd who reads detective novels to his beloved sheep every night, assuming they can't possibly understand. But when a mysterious incident disrupts life on the farm, the sheep realize they must become the detectives. As they follow the clues and investigate human suspects, they prove that even sheep can be brilliant crime-solvers.

My Fault

My Fault · 2023

MovieDramaRomance

Noah must leave her city, boyfriend, and friends to move into William Leister's mansion, the flashy and wealthy husband of her mother Rafaela. As a proud and independent 17 year old, Noah resists living in a mansion surrounded by luxury. However, it is there where she meets Nick, her new stepbrother, and the clash of their strong personalities becomes evident from the very beginning.

The Wrecking Crew

The Wrecking Crew · 2026

The Wrecking Crew

MovieActionComedy

Estranged half-brothers Jonny and James reunite after their father's mysterious death. As they search for the truth, buried secrets reveal a conspiracy threatening to tear their family apart.

Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan: Ghost War

Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan: Ghost War · 2026

Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan: Ghost War

MovieActionThriller

Jack Ryan is reluctantly pulled back into espionage when an international covert mission unravels a deadly conspiracy. Racing against time, he joins CIA allies Mike November & James Greer and sharp MI6 officer Emma Marlowe to battle a rogue black-ops unit in a high-stakes, deeply personal fight.

Crime 101

Crime 101 · 2026

MovieCrimeThriller

When an elusive thief whose high-stakes heists unfold along the iconic 101 freeway in Los Angeles eyes the score of a lifetime, with hopes of this being his final job, his path collides with a disillusioned insurance broker who is facing her own crossroads. Determined to crack the case, a relentless detective closes in on the operation, raising the stakes even higher.

Our Fault

Our Fault · 2025

MovieRomanceDrama

Jenna and Lion's wedding brings about the long-awaited reunion between Noah and Nick after their breakup. Nick's inability to forgive Noah stands as an insurmountable barrier. He, heir to his grandfather's businesses, and she, starting her professional life, resist fueling a flame that's still alive. But now that their paths have crossed again, will love be stronger than resentment?

Vengeance

Vengeance · 2026

MovieActionThriller

The brutal murder of the wife of “Toro,” a military hero in the special forces, turns him into a man with a single purpose: revenge. After a stroke of fate makes him a millionaire, Carlos transforms his fortune into an arsenal and, together with his closest soldiers, sets out to hunt down those responsible.

Pretty Lethal

Pretty Lethal · 2026

MovieActionThriller

A troupe of ballerinas find themselves fighting for survival as they attempt to escape from a remote inn after their bus breaks down on the way to a dance competition.

Jurassic World

Jurassic World · 2015

MovieAdventureScience Fiction

Twenty-two years after the events of Jurassic Park, Isla Nublar now features a fully functioning dinosaur theme park, Jurassic World, as originally envisioned by John Hammond.

Your Fault

Your Fault · 2024

MovieDramaRomance

The love between Noah and Nick seems unwavering despite their parents' attempts to separate them. But his job and her entry into college open up their lives to new relationships that will shake the foundations of both their relationship and the Leister family itself.

Over Your Dead Body

Over Your Dead Body · 2026

Over Your Dead Body

MovieActionComedy

A dysfunctional couple head to a remote cabin to "reconnect", but each has secret intentions to kill the other.

Red One

Red One · 2024

MovieActionAdventure

After Santa Claus (codename: Red One) is kidnapped, the North Pole's Head of Security must team up with the world's most infamous tracker in a globe-trotting, action-packed mission to save Christmas.

Boulevard

Boulevard · 2026

MovieRomanceDrama

New city, new life, and an unexpected encounter with Luke-a boy fueled by adrenaline and haunted by demons. Despite the warnings, Hasley can't stay away. In their 'boulevard,' they find a raw, liberating love. But as his past threatens to destroy them both, Hasley faces a heartbreaking choice: can you save someone who isn't ready to be rescued?

The Accountant²

The Accountant² · 2025

The Accountant²

MovieMysteryCrime

When an old acquaintance is murdered, Wolff is compelled to solve the case. Realizing more extreme measures are necessary, Wolff recruits his estranged and highly lethal brother, Brax, to help. In partnership with Marybeth Medina, they uncover a deadly conspiracy, becoming targets of a ruthless network of killers who will stop at nothing to keep their secrets buried.

Your Fault: London

Your Fault: London · 2026

Your Fault: London

MovieRomanceDrama

Nick and Noah are both embarking on life-changing adventures that are threatening to pull them apart—Nick in business with his father and Noah starting a fresh chapter at Oxford University. Now living separate lives, and meeting new people, they find themselves entangled in temptations, rivalries, and betrayals and their bond is tested like never before. As secrets unravel and temptation rises, they must fight to hold onto each other—or risk losing everything.

Blade Runner

Blade Runner · 1982

MovieScience FictionDrama

In the smog-choked dystopian Los Angeles of 2019, blade runner Rick Deckard is called out of retirement to terminate a quartet of replicants who have escaped to Earth seeking their creator for a way to extend their short life spans.

Rate this film

Your ratings make Midnight smarter