SAIL Amsterdam rocks the (no) boat

This spectacular sea festival SAIL Amsterdam is held once every five years in the Dutch city and sees tall ships from all over the world visit to moor in its eastern harbour. 

Directed by Tom Sibma, this atmospheric spot – shot on 35mm – tells the story of SAIL through a range of quirky nautical metaphors and marine adjacent imagery. 

The assignment was to create a film that appeals to multiple generations: those familiar with SAIL from previous editions and a generation that, due to the covid-related cancellation of the last event five years ago, has yet to experience the event.

Sibma explains: “I saw a great challenge in conveying the nautical feeling without showing ships on screen. That would have been the obvious choice. Instead, I saw an opportunity to make it whole and human, with a clear connection to the past and a fresh look towards the future.”

Joshua Petit, co-founder and composer at Soundsright, adds: “We combined traditional sea shanties with modern cinematic sounds to create a unique sound that embraces both the past and the present shit."