Morning Light - Roy Disney and his Sailing Movie

Some of the YachtPals Crew were invited to a special pre-release showing of the new sailing movie Morning Light a few days ago, and we were delighted to be joined by Roy Disney himself, as well as filmmaker Leslie DeMeuse and crew member Piet Van Os, to discuss the film after the showing. If you haven't heard the buzz about this flick yet, you will soon, as competitive sailing is about to splash onto the big screen - hopefully at a theater near you.

Morning Light, an exquisitely crafted film from Disney Pictures, is the story of 15 inexperienced ocean sailors aged 18-22 who take part in the infamous Transpac, a 2500 mile ocean race from Southern California to Hawaii. "Sail-vivor" it is not, and the paring down of the crew to eleven is nearly as heart-wrenching for the viewer as it is for the team.  No villains here, just a group of eager and dedicated young sailors who all deserve to go.

The story unfolds as we follow these likeable young adults from the initial "You're on the team!" announcement, through their intensive training, the crew selection process, the 12 day long race itself, and the eventual outcome. All of the action is told in a documentary format enhanced by tasty camerawork and an engaging soundtrack.  It is that rarest of treats:  A good sailing movie.

What sets this film apart is, of course, the subject matter... sailing. It's not every day our beloved sport receives this level of attention from the motion picture industry, and thanks to Roy Disney, an accomplished and passionate sailor in his own right, and sports and sailing visual virtuoso Leslie DeMeuse, the Morning Light project was realized and executed with a quality of production unparalleled in sailing films.

Cameras were set up around the boat, adding hundreds of pounds to its weight, and a cameraman was on board with specific "no-touch" instructions.  However, some of the most phenomenal shots were made from the chase boat, which followed the Morning Light across the entire Pacific route.  It wasn't just any chaseboat either, it was none other than the late Steve Fossett's catamaran Cheyenne, de-rigged and running twin diesels.  The dismasted cat's stability was put to good use by Demeuse and the film crew, capturing spectacular day and night shots well worth a trip to the big screen.

The 2007 edition of the Transpac, during which this was filmed, featured downwind sailing and a struggle to stay out of the dead air of the Pacific High, but the drama is not limited by the weather, as half the adventure is getting the crew comfortable with the boat and confident in the open sea. Viewers will also appreciate the involvement of Mike Sanderson, Stan Honey, and Chuck Hawley as the team's coaches, as well as the mid-ocean duel with John Kilroy's Samba Pa Ti, however the 'kids' are the true superstars of this film.

The Morning Light team is an intelligent and occasionally humorous group of youngsters who conduct themselves with respect for each other, and for the power of the the TP52 they sail aboard. The formula reality-show genre is too often littered with heated conflicts and foul language, and Morning Light has none of these negative elements to weigh it down. Instead the film is an excellent example of how well one can persevere with a little teamwork and dedication. This movie is a fantastic vehicle not just for sailing, but also for exploring the human spirit, and Morning Light is an inspirational film that will appeal to sailors and landlubbers of all ages.

 
We met Roy Disney, Morning Light crew member Piet Van Os, and film maker Leslie DeMeuse, for a Q&A after the SF Bay Area premiere of the movie at the Mill Valley Film Festival.  Disney told us he made the film because "we just wanted other people to understand what we do."  To which filmmaker DeMeuse added that "we really wanted to let the public know that sailing is for everyone."  Indeed, non-sailors appear to be at least as inspired by the film as sailors, so it seems the team hit its mark.

Piet Van Os looked a bit uncomfortable with his sudden fame, but became enthusiastic in his description of how the experience changed his life:  "This opportunity doesn't come along... well, ever really!  It changed me absolutely.  I'm now a team player, and I realize what it means to be a team.  I thought I knew before that, but I really didn't 'til I was forced to find out how much you need that team."

Regarding that team spirit, we asked Piet if there were any arguments on board Morning Light and he said "Y'know, there was really no time for any of that, and we knew that if we were arguing it would just slow us down. It was all about working together as a team and trying to win the race".

Piet then kneeled down to sign some autographs for a handful of excited kids half his age. If this is any indication, Piet and the rest of the Morning Light crew are poised to become role models for our sport, and thanks to this film, we may have a whole new generation of aspiring offshore sailors on our hands.

- Fred Eagle exclusively for YachtPals.com

Morning Light opens on Friday, October 17th at 50 select theaters in the US and Canada.