Mermaid School Dives into Cannes with Debut Feature

Konstantina Kotzamani's debut feature, "Titanic Ocean," is slated for its premiere at Cannes Un Certain Regard on May 20. This Japanese-language coming-of-age drama immerses audiences in a unique boarding school where teenage girls train to become professional mermaids.

The narrative centers on 17-year-old Akame, also known as "Deep Sea," as she learns the art of underwater performance, grapples with nascent love, and finds the power of her own voice. The film draws inspiration from ancient Greek myths of the Sirens, portraying Akame's awakening and metamorphosis through song and desire.

Shot entirely in Japan with a Japanese cast and crew, "Titanic Ocean" is an ambitious international co-production. Director Kotzamani and producer Maria Drandaki spearheaded the project, blending Greek myth with pop aesthetics and a visual language deeply connected to water and female identity. The film explores themes of artificiality versus the organic, with the school's manufactured world contrasting with the limitless freedom of the ocean.

Kotzamani described the transition from short films to her first feature as demanding, involving extensive time away from home and navigating the film as both an artistic gesture and a product. The international collaboration involved partners from Greece, Germany, Romania, Spain, France, and Japan, united by Kotzamani's distinct creative vision.