Natasha had the following to say about the Costa Rican leg of the Vessel shoot:
Shipwreck in Costa Rica
It was an early morning during the rainy season on the north pacific shore of Costa Rica when I woke up hoping that the sky was clear, it was. It was a beautiful sunny morning when I gathered together my video equipment and my crew to meet a couple of shipwreck sailors I was to interview as part of a film titled The Vessel.
Michiel and Dolf, the sailors where running a bit late that morning. They were driving for a few hours up our bad roads to meet us for the interview. I was worried the later it got about the light getting too harsh to shoot in open air on the beach. They arrived and we began the interviews… but once they started to tell their story all my technical worrying as a filmmaker ceased… their story became alive. They where 2 Dutch experienced sailors who where to bring a Dutch flag sailboat to the organizers of Women on Waves who where in Ecuador doing some workshops and teaching the women about pro-choice.
Unfortunately when Michiel and Dolf set sail out of Puntares in Costa Rica the day wasn’t clear and sunny like on this day and unexpected the first tropical storm of the year was formed literally right on top of their boat. They were fortunate to have made it out alive…
It was an incredible experience to hear their story and to be a small part of this very important film project.
I look forward to the completion of the film and he many woman who will be touched, educated and therefore empowered because of it.
Natasha Pachano
filmmaker in Costa Rica
