User reviews

The cruel business of Asian forced-labour fishing is no joke, but if you want to make a movie of it, it still has to work as a movie.

Rathjen largely succeeds, aided by fine camera work, and cinematic interludes that break up what would otherwise be an unbearably grim tale. The interludes might be a high-altitude shot of the death boat, a thoughtful moment of beauty, or a flashback to the young conscript's home village.

The ending strikes an apt note, neither too sad nor too sentimental. It's hard to imagine this one will do huge box office, so let's hope that Rathjen comes back for another round. Talented Australian directors are rare, and rarer still do they kick on for longer careers.

A 14 year old boy, Chakra (Sarm Heng), is tired of working hard and receiving only a small amount of money from his family. Chakra believes he is the hardest worker within the family and wants something more. He decides to run away from home and work elsewhere. His goal is to earn more money and return home to his family in due time. Unfortunately, Chakra is soon sold off to a slave worker who captains a Thai fishing boat. Chakra soon learns the Captain has cruel ways of running his ship. When Chakra and his fellow slaves don't submit to the daily work required or obey the rules, punishment and cruelty is enforced.

Buoyancy as a film is shot wonderfully. The film's style is rather creative in creating tension, drama and showing wonderful landscape and scenery shots. The director appears to enjoy aerial shots which were also effective in key moments.

Performances were outstanding, particularly from the leading actor played by Sarm Heng. He is simply convincing and believable. Portraying the situation the character falls into would not have been an easy task, especially considering this is based on real themes and event. Supporting actors, particularly those who are also on the fishing boats, were also outstanding.

Tension is a key element. With quality all around performances there is also a suspenseful element in this film, especially in regards to the film's audio track. The audio track has a huge part to play. It is somewhat basic but highly effective during tense moments.

Overall, make no mistake, Buoyancy can be classed as a tough drama film to watch but I personally have no regrets in seeing it. This film was a positive experience filled with solid performances and I would gladly recommend this film to many others.

8.1/10 Walkden Entertainment

It was one of the interesting movies to watch during these corona lockdown days. There is actually a lot of injustice and violence in the world and we are very little aware of this. The movie does not only demonstrate the injustices in Cambodian seas, it makes us feel like we are sitting on those comfortable seats whithout doing anything.

This movie is a powerful movie message wise, acting wise, camera shots are gorgeous but i had only one problem and that's the editing. There are shots that last way longer then it should of been. Also i think what could of benefited this movie is learning more about our main heroes life, and then like after 20 minutes we get on the ship, because we know very little about him and his family.

However my biggest issue with this film is the ending. Im sorry but the percentage of that happening in a situation where our main hero was, is just impossible. You are going to tell me that a 14 y old is capable of beating up 3 guys in their 30s. The whole movie lost it's build up, of a kid leaving his family, and get in a worse position.

The kid attacking the 3 guys was totally out of left field and feels like the writers had no idea how to end the movie, so they force fed us this ending. Minus the ending, everything else works. I enjoyed the film i just did not enjoy the ending. Yes of course im happy that he survived and he got back on this land, it's just that scenario does not seem how this movie would end.

I mean if you like revenge films like I spit on your grave, Hobo with shotgun, Thriller Cruel Picture, but in a slower tone, because this is a slow movie, where everything slowly builds up to a climax, you might enjoy this. I did, except i wish we had a bit more depth to our characters, and the ending is totally pulled me out.

According to the wikipedia page, the movie is based on a true story. However, i can not find anywhere source on what this movie is based truly on. I'd like to know. I just did not expect the main hero to attack those 3.

What a joy to see this gem at the Berlin Berlinale. I went knowing and expecting nothing... and to be honest? Having seen another film made using young inexperienced Cambodian actors that somehow didn't touch me... i was not expecting a whole lot.

I go to films, wanting an immersive experience. It doesn't take much to snap me out of the moment. An actor with 2 lines who somehow manages to deliver them poorly, mood music that is masturbatory in its dramatic emotion levels.... poor scripting, silly, boring premises.

I got to the end of Buoyancy and was so sad for the moment to have ended. Just wonderful film making. Such a solid effort from the whole cast.... i believed every single one of them were living what i was seeing not just acting... but Sarm... the lead? Wow. What a performance.

The story itself I won't touch as I don't want to spoil it for those who have not seen it.. but its gut wrenchingly realistic, brutal, human and inhuman all at once. I really can't think of another movie to compare it to.

Just wow.

So this is an Australian film about a very poor, 14 year old Cambodian boy, who gets sick and tired of being exploited by his family (despite many older brothers, he is forced to do all the work in his family and also forced to do free slave labor for neighbors basically sowing rice paddies - and that is major work, son). So he takes a debt to go to Thailand and work. But, because he doesn't pay up front, he is sold into slavery to a fisherman trawler, and from there he experiences all kinds of torture and abuse. The adults can't handle it; will he? This is an exceptional foreign independent film. The film is not brutal but is darkly realistic. The direction, acting, script, cinematography, editing, and score are all top notch. This is a film from last year worth searching out. SEE IT!

The Bravery of the 14 year old slave shines through, hope in a hopeless human story. Corruption of fishing Industry for dog and cat Food To sell in cans at Woolworths and Coles and supermarkets around the world involves Children slaves and humans being abused and exploited. PLEASE STOP BUYING CAT AND DOG FOOD

Story 9/10... Cinematography 9/10... Acting 10/10... Impact 9/10.

This film was a remarkable example of how to do traumatic drama correctly. If it existed, I would have watched another 2 hours and been completely engulfed in the story and lives on screen.

Typically, foreign films shot in 3rd world countries lack much of which is desired in a movie. For this reason I am often skeptical when one aims to address any sort of traumatic theme or disturbing topic. The normal approach is to overdo gore and take advantage of the locals or "conditions". However, Buoyancy balances realism and inserted facts with a well thought out plot to create an environment very unique to it. The film's intention was set out to spread awareness about the slave trade still occurring on shipping vessels, while evoking emotion from viewers. Both of which were completely engulfed within the film.

Many of the other reviews have already complemented the significance of the film and how well the entirety of it was. For this reason I will not echo what they have said. This film taught me something I was unaware of, and something widely ignored by mainstream media/news. I would rank this movie's quality alongside Precious and 12 Years a Slave.

Disclaimer: as others put it, this film can be tough to watch. If you are used to extreme cinema it is a refreshing break from over the top scenes, so much so I would argue this movie could warrant more intensity/gore. This type of thing I often look down upon but the movie's theme truly permits it to impact its viewers deeply. If you are used to sad dramas, be weary as this one truly has the capacity to stick with someone.

A docudrama on young (and very young) southeast Asian boys/men risking their lives in getting jobs on fishing boats. There are issues of abuse, and even death. In this movie a small rebellion has the captain tossing a worker overboard and says dismissively, "no more Khmer, just Burmese".

Caption: An estimated 200,000 men and boys are thought to be in slavery and forced labour in the Southeast Asian fishing industry; worth billions, and supplies fish products worldwide.

Chakra, 14 years old cambodian boy is tired of being the only one among his siblings of being exploited by his father carrying fertilizer to the ricing field every morning , without even being paid , he seeks freedom and independance, wanting to work somewhere else where he can earn money and live better, he then finds a job at a fishing boat in Bangkok but soon he realizes that he was sold off as a slave to merciless and cruel boat captain who has a savage ways of punishement for anyone refusing to submit to a working rules he set for them by using violence and torturing them to death , seeing all this ferocity around him , Chakra turns into a vicious boy himself as the only one to survive and freeing himself.

This was a moving , realistic drama with an aspect of suspense, that highlights a modern slavery in South Asia . I would like to give credit to the oustanding performance of Sal heng who delivered every emotion in such a unique and sensitive way.

The movie was beautifully shot, showing a breathtaking scenery and landscapes accompanied by an impressive music that added up to the tension that I felt throughout the story .

A fourteen year-old Cambodian boy grows tired of carrying sacks of fertilzer to rice fields to support his mother, father, brother and sister. He seeks a better life after hearing of a chance to make decent money in the factories of Thailand. A broker picks him and a group of others and drops them off where they are broken up into smaller groups. The boy is put on a fishing trawler with a vicious captain and his crew. He and his fellow workers are treated terribly and couple of them revolt and the captain takes care of them in a horrible manner. The kid carries the film, which at ninety-two minutes moves along quite briskly. This is a great foreign movie.

This definitely presents us with a different world view - a world unknown to most of us. The three main actors, excellently portray the visceral tensions that they are all undergoing. There is a Third World authenticity that is largely ignored in most films.

The scenes on the fishing vessel are taut. And sometimes vicious. Think of this film the next time you open a tin of pet food.

No one can hear you out on the open sea. Nobody knows you exist.

A Cambodian boy runs away from his family and a life of poverty, only to discover that there are worse things. He survives by bringing choice fish to the captain and becoming his favorite.

You become afraid of people, even of daylight. If you are lucky enough to avoid the beatings, sicknesses, injuries, torture, and being thrown overboard, a cup of rice is the reward for working around the clock shoveling scraps of fish for dog food. You have nothing. This is your home forever.

An estimated 200,000 people are enslaved in the scrappy fishing industry of southeast Asia. The survivors want to "tell people about their nightmares." Buoyancy is their collected story. This truly captivating story is enough to make me not accept a drink from a stranger ever again.

I felt really sorry not only for the slaves/prisoners but also for all the fish 🐟 that died. It upset me immensely.....no wonder our Oceans are fished out.

A Cambodian boy got sold into slavery in the sea in Thailand . Hidden gem. Took my breath away. Purely realistic and reflective of the real issues happening now. It's a must watch if you want to understand how poverty is plaguing Cambodia and it's people.