Undercurrent

Undercurrent delves into the lives of fishermen who have inhabited the Western Cape coastline for generations, exploring their daily struggles for survival. Through the personal story of a fishing crew, like Clive Richard Beukes who has scoured these waters nearly 45 years, the film sheds light on the physical toll the sea takes on those who depend on it. Continuing generations of tradition in their fishing trade, Beukes serves as a representation of the greater community facing an existential threat. In an age of exploitative fishing practices, with foreign commercial trawlers depleting fish stocks and destroying the natural ecosystems, local fishermen are unable to sustain themselves and replenish the marine resources. As fish stocks dwindle and ecosystems are destroyed, subsistence fishermen, paid on tonnage for their catches, are being pushed to the brink of collapse. Undercurrent poses a powerful question: what kind of legacy is being left for the future generations that depend on the sea?