About the film

An excellent documentary made by young artist born in Bydgoszcz, Jacek Szymczak. In July, 2007 Jurek Błaszczyk, together with a group of divers decided to carry the deepest project in the history of Poland. Four-months-long preparations were to bring the penetration of underwater wall Dahab on Sinai Peninsula, and breaking the Polish record in diving below 200 metres. But not everything went according to the plan.



"Under Pressure"

There is one place in the world where 200 people died trying the impossible: to touch the abyss. To dive more than 200 meters below the breathtaking coral reef of the Red Sea. Here is the story of a man's struggle with nature and his own weaknesses and of survival. Jurek Blaszczyk gave up his successful career of an IT entrepreneur to live up to his dreams: "- What would I say to my grandson one day? That I had a pile of money, a luxurious car and a penthouse?". On the verge of bankruptcy he tries to get to the bottom of what's important in life - and, at the same time, to beat the record in deep diving. Two records, actually. For this is also the first time for a camera to follow a diver so far into the big blue.

About the director

Jacek Szymczak (born 6 August 1974 ) is a camera operator, film director and photographer. He is a graduate of Łódź Film School and of Camerimage Film School in Toruń. One of the most promising young Polish photographers. A man of unique visual sensitivity. For TVN he made cinematography for such series as 'Szpieg' (6 episodes: in Mexico, USA, Russia, Austria, Italy, Germany); 'Cela' (11 episodes: in Brazil, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Italy); 'Misja
Martyna' (14 episodes: in Australia, Mexico, Vanuatu, Kenia, Tanzania, Chile, Venezuela, USA, Maroco, Cambodia, Fiji), 'Wyprawa Robinson' (24 episodes: in Malaysia), 'Druga Twarz' (2 episodes: in Brazil), 'Moja Krew' (7 episodes: in Spain), 'Superniania'. Also an author of photos for tv reportages like 'Uwaga', 'Superwizjer' and 'Fakty'.
He worked with the Polish Photographers Agency "Forum', his photos were published in many magazines: 'Kino', 'Film', 'Cinema', 'Kamera', 'Spiegel', 'Elle', 'Twój Styl', 'Sukces', 'Zwierciadło', 'Viva!', 'Gala', 'Pani', 'Uroda', 'Pozytyw', 'Wielki błękit' etc., and in books.
An author of commercial and feature films. A cinematographer at, among others, '1409-afera na zamku Bartenstein', stills photographer in such films as Filip Bajon's 'Przedwiośnie' or Juliusz Machulski's 'Kiler',
'Na koniec świata' by Magdalena Łazarkiewicz. He is an appreciated camera operator in biggest commercial television projects of recent years in Poland. Jacek Szymczak is also a producer and director of his own films, which were prized several times and broadcasted on TV: 'Big Han - Adamie Hanuszkiewicz', 'Kobieta Twoja', 'Wielki Błekit Morza Czerwonego', 'Pod ciśnieniem', 'Zdobywcy Nieba'.

 click on the photo to make it bigger.

Photos