• News
  • Life
  • TV & Film
  • Beauty
  • Style
  • Home
  • News
    • Celebrity
    • Entertainment
    • Politics
    • Royal Family
  • Life
    • Animals
    • Food & Drink
    • Women's Health
    • Mental Health
    • Sex & Relationships
    • Travel
    • Real Life
  • TV & Film
    • True Crime
    • Documentaries
    • Netflix
    • BBC
    • ITV
    • Tyla Recommends
  • Beauty
    • Hair
    • Make-up
    • Skincare
  • Style
    • Home
    • Fashion
    • Shopping
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • UNILAD
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
TikTok
Submit Your Content
One of Netflix’s ‘best ever’ documentaries left viewers in tears after learning about one of the deadliest activities in the world

Home> Entertainment> TV & Film

Published 07:19 25 Mar 2025 GMT

One of Netflix’s ‘best ever’ documentaries left viewers in tears after learning about one of the deadliest activities in the world

The Netflix documentary, which was released in 2023, was called 'addictive and alarming' by viewers

Chloe Jackson

Chloe Jackson

A documentary that hit Netflix two years ago is still having an effect on viewers as they hail it the 'best ever' thing they've watched and admitted to being in tears.

Netflix has become something of a pioneer in the documentary department - from true crime to our favourite celebs - having developed a knack for the genre over the years.

But there's one documentary on its lengthy roster that viewers say stands out above the rest, and it even bagged an Emmy last year to prove it.

It took home the gong for Outstanding Long Sports Documentary, with viewers praising it as 'mesmerising' and a 'must watch', and others saying it left their 'heart shattered'.

Advert

Freediving is extremely dangerous (Netflix)
Freediving is extremely dangerous (Netflix)

Written and directed by Irish filmmaker Laura McGann, The Deepest Breath explores the ins and outs of competitive 'freediving' and the tragedy at the heart of it which ripped through the community in 2017.

Freediving is a dangerous extreme sport where competitors attempt to dive to mind-boggling depths underwater without any scuba gear, meaning they literally hold their breath the entire time until resurfacing.

Athletes will train intensely as they hope to secure new records in the depths of the ocean, but of course, it's an extremely dangerous sport due to the length of time you are required to hold your breath and the water pressure your body is subjected to at such depths.

At the heart of the documentary - billed by Netflix as a 'perilous undersea love story' - is Italian champion Alessia Zecchini and Ireland’s Stephen Keenan, with Zecchini hoping to set a new world record assisted by Keenan, who is a safety diver.

Safety divers like Keenan are a necessity as freedivers can often have blackouts during their ascent to the surface after holding their breath for so long.

In The Deepest Breath, Zecchini and Keenan adorably fall in love during their quest for the sporting record, as the doc follows their attempt at the dangerous feat as well as explaining the mechanics of the sport and the risks involved.

The nearly two-hour-long film shows us how pair train together as the Italian prepares to take on the legendary Blue Hole in Dahab, Egypt - a challenge which will see her dive 184 feet below the Red Sea and swim through an 85-foot-long tunnel to the safety rope on the other side.

Viewers said it left them in tears (Netflix)
Viewers said it left them in tears (Netflix)

Here, she is supposed to be met by Keenan. However, it all goes tragically wrong.

After watching the gripping documentary, fans were quick to share their opinions on Twitter, as one branded it 'wild' and others called it 'very emotional'.

One wrote: "This afternoon I watched The Deepest Breath on Netflix. As a former dive instructor who tried a bit of free diving, I found it very emotional.

"One of my instructors, Nico, died while freediving back in 1998. RIP to all those lost to the sea."

Meanwhile, another commented: "That doccie was amazing. Heartbreaking. Beautiful. Sad. Poignant. Touching. Eye opening."

The Deepest Breath is available to stream on Netflix now.

Featured Image Credit: Netflix

Topics: Netflix, Sport, Documentaries, TV And Film

Chloe Jackson
Chloe Jackson

Chloe Jackson is a Senior Sub Editor and Journalist at LADbible Group. She graduated from The University of Salford with a BA Multimedia Journalism degree in 2019, but has continued to use the fact she has a Blue Peter badge as her biggest flex.

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

10 hours ago
11 hours ago
12 hours ago
  • Donaldson Collection / Contributor / via Getty
    10 hours ago

    Disturbing true story behind Blondie’s 'One Way Or Another' lyrics

    Blondie lead singer Debbie Harry opened up about the sinister origins behind the track back in 2011

    Entertainment
  • Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/via Getty
    11 hours ago

    Zayn Malik takes subtle jab at Harry Styles amid ticket price backlash

    Harry Styles announced a UK tour for fourth studio album 'Kiss All the Time' earlier this week

    Entertainment
  • Warner Bros.
    11 hours ago

    Jacob Elordi fans seriously divided over controversial 'finger sucking' kink in Wuthering Heights

    Jacob Elordi stars alongside Margot Robbie in the upcoming romance flick directed by Emerald Fennell

    Entertainment
  • Netflix
    12 hours ago

    Bridgerton fans upset over two missing characters in season 4 - what we know about their absence

    The first part of the hit Regency period drama dropped on Netflix earlier today (29 January)

    Entertainment
  • ‘Sickening’ new Netflix doc A Deadly American Marriage labelled ‘excruciating to watch’ as viewers are left saying the same thing
  • You ending explained as Netflix viewers ‘miss the point’ of chilling final line
  • New Gabby Petito Netflix documentary has disturbed viewers asking one question
  • Netflix viewers have one complaint after realising who plays Alfred Hitchcock in Ed Gein Monster