Becoming Cousteau

{{Short description|2021 American documentary film}}

{{Infobox film

| name = Becoming Cousteau

| image = Becoming Cousteau poster.jpeg

| alt =

| caption = Theatrical release poster

| director = Liz Garbus

| producer = {{Plainlist|

  • Liz Garbus
  • Dan Cogan
  • Mridu Chandra
  • Evan Hayes

}}

| writer = {{Plainlist|

  • Pax Wasserman
  • Mark Monroe

}}

| starring =

| music = {{Plainlist|

  • Danny Bensi
  • Saunder Jurriaans

}}

| cinematography =

| editing = Pax Wasserman

| production_companies = {{Plainlist|

}}

| distributor = Picturehouse

| released = {{Film date|2021|9|2|Telluride|2021|10|22|United States}}

| runtime = 91 minutes

| country = United States

| language = {{Plainlist|

  • English
  • French

}}

| budget =

| gross = $264,530{{cite web|url=https://the-numbers.com/movie/Becoming-Cousteau-(2021-Documentary)#tab=box-office|title=Becoming Cousteau|website=The Numbers|access-date=November 12, 2021}}{{cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl1846182657/?ref_=bo_hm_rs|title=Becoming Cousteau|website=Box Office Mojo|access-date=November 11, 2021}}

}}

Becoming Cousteau is a 2021 American documentary film directed and produced by Liz Garbus. It follows the life and career of Jacques Cousteau.

It premiered at the Telluride Film Festival on September 2, 2021, and was released on October 22, 2021, by Picturehouse.

Synopsis

The film follows the life and career of Jacques Cousteau, who tried to warn the world for decades about environmental issues.

Production

In 2015, National Geographic Documentary Films approached Liz Garbus about directing a documentary film revolving around Jacques Cousteau, and she agreed.{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2021/film/news/garbus-toronto-1235061371/|title=Liz Garbus on Her Toronto Doc 'Becoming Cousteau'|website=Variety|first=Addie|last=Morfoot|date=September 10, 2021|access-date=September 23, 2021}} Over the course of five years, Garbus worked with The Cousteau Society to get access to unseen footage.{{cite web|url=https://www.thewrap.com/becoming-cousteau-director-explains-how-explorer-went-from-exploiting-nature-to-protecting-it-video/|title='Becoming Cousteau' Director Explains How Explorer Went From Exploiting Nature to Protecting It (Video)|website=The Wrap|first=Brian|last=Welk|date=September 16, 2021|access-date=September 23, 2021}}

In May 2019, it was announced Garbus would direct a documentary film revolving around Cousteau, with Cousteau Society Archives producing and with National Geographic Documentary Films set to produce.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2019/05/natgeo-dives-into-jacques-cousteau-documentary-with-oscar-lauded-team-1202610244/|title=NatGeo Dives Into Jacques Cousteau Documentary With Oscar-Lauded Team|website=Deadline Hollywood|first=Anthony|last=D'Alessandro|date=May 8, 2019|access-date=August 25, 2021}}

Release

It had its world premiere at the 48th Telluride Film Festival on September 2, 2021.{{cite web|url=http://telluridecms-production.s3.amazonaws.com/assets/pdfs/48th-TFF-program-guide.pdf|title=Telluride Film Festival Program Guide|website=Telluride Film Festival|access-date=September 1, 2021|archive-date=September 1, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210901170501/http://telluridecms-production.s3.amazonaws.com/assets/pdfs/48th-TFF-program-guide.pdf|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2021/09/telluride-film-festival-2021-lineup-king-richard-cyrano-1234825309/|title=Telluride Film Festival: Will Smith's 'King Richard', Peter Dinklage Musical 'Cyrano', Joaquin Phoenix In 'C'mon C'mon', Ken Branagh's 'Belfast' Set To Premiere|website=Deadline Hollywood|first=Pete|last=Hammond|date=September 1, 2021|access-date=September 1, 2021}} It had its international premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 10, 2021.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2021/08/tiff-2021-lineup-midnight-madness-documentaries-1234808882/|title=TIFF Unveils Docs, Midnight Madness & Wavelengths Lineup With Palme d'Or Winner 'Titane', Liz Garbus' 'Becoming Cousteau' & More|website=Deadline Hollywood|first=Anthony|last=D'Alessandro|date=August 4, 2021|access-date=August 25, 2021}} It was released on October 22, 2021, by Picturehouse.{{cite web|url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210901005788/en/National-Geographic-Documentary-Films-and-Picturehouse-to-Release-Liz-Garbus’-“BECOMING-COUSTEAU”-on-Friday-Oct.-22-2021|title=National Geographic Documentary Films and Picturehouse to Release Liz Garbus’ “BECOMING COUSTEAU” on Friday, Oct. 22, 2021|website=BusinessWire|date=September 1, 2021|access-date=September 1, 2021}}

Reception

=Critical reception=

Becoming Costeau holds a 98% approval rating on review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, based on 60 reviews, with a weighted average of 7.50/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "As visually thrilling as it is edifying, Becoming Cousteau pays fitting tribute to a pioneering explorer and environmental advocate."{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/becoming_cousteau|title=Becoming Cousteau|website=Rotten Tomatoes|access-date=October 26, 2023}} On Metacritic, the film holds a rating of 74 out of 100, based on 16 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/becoming-cousteau|title=Becoming Cousteau|website=Metacritic|access-date=February 4, 2022}}

=Accolades=

class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"

! scope="col" | Award

! scope="col" | Date of ceremony

! scope="col" | Category

! scope="col" | Recipient(s)

! scope="col" | Result

! scope="col" class="unsortable" |{{Refh}}

BFI London Film Festival

| October 17, 2021

| Grierson Award

| Becoming Cousteau

| {{won}}

| align="center"|{{cite news |last1=Ramachandran |first1=Naman |title=Hit the Road, Playground, Becoming Cousteau Win BFI London Film Festival Awards |url=https://variety.com/2021/film/global/bfi-london-film-festival-2021-awards-1235091210/ |access-date=February 4, 2022 |work=Variety |date=October 17, 2021}}

British Academy Film Awards

| March 13, 2022

| Best Documentary

| Liz Garbus and Dan Cogan

| {{nom}}

| style="text-align:center;" |{{cite news |last1=Ravindran |first1=Manori |title=BAFTA Awards Nominations Unveiled: Dune, Power of the Dog Lead Field, Will Smith Earns First BAFTA Nod |url=https://variety.com/2022/film/news/bafta-2022-awards-nominations-full-list-1235170992/ |access-date=February 3, 2022 |work=Variety |date=February 3, 2022}}

Cinema Audio Society Awards

| March 19, 2022

| Outstanding Achievement in Sound Mixing for a Motion Picture – Documentary

| Phil McGowan, Tony Volante

| {{nom}}

| style="text-align:center;" |{{cite news |last1=Giardina |first1=Carolyn |title=Dune, West Side Story Among Cinema Audio Society's Sound Mixing Nominees |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/cinema-audio-society-awards-2022-nominations-1235080172/ |access-date=January 25, 2022 |work=The Hollywood Reporter |date=January 25, 2022 |archive-date=January 25, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220125171154/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/cinema-audio-society-awards-2022-nominations-1235080172/ |url-status=live }}

rowspan="2"|Cinema Eye Honors

| rowspan="2"|March 1, 2022

| Audience Choice Prize

| Liz Garbus

| {{nom}}

| align="center" rowspan="2"|{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2021/11/2022-cinema-eye-honors-complete-nominations-list-flee-summer-of-soul-1234871458/|title=Flee & Summer Of Soul Lead Cinema Eye Honors Nominations|website=Deadline|first=Matt|last=Grobar|date=November 10, 2021|accessdate=November 11, 2021}}

Outstanding Graphic Design/Animation

| Daniel Rutledge

| {{nom}}

rowspan="5"|Critics' Choice Documentary Awards

| rowspan="5"|November 14, 2021

| Best Documentary Feature

| Becoming Cousteau

| {{nom}}

| rowspan="5" align="center"|{{cite news |last1=Lewis |first1=Hilary |title=Summer of Soul Sweeps Critics Choice Documentary Awards |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/critics-choice-documentary-awards-2021-winners-list-1235047605/ |access-date=February 4, 2022 |work=The Hollywood Reporter |date=November 14, 2021}}{{cite web|url=https://www.indiewire.com/2021/10/critics-choice-awards-documentary-nominations-2021-1234672379/|title=Ascension and Summer of Soul Lead Critics Choice Documentary Nominations|work=IndieWire|date=October 8, 2021|accessdate=October 18, 2021|first=Ryan|last=Lattanzio}}

Best Director

| Liz Garbus

| {{nom}}

Best Narration

| Vincent Cassel, Mark Monroe and Pax Wassermann

| {{nom}}

Best Archival Documentary

| Becoming Cousteau

| {{nom}}

Best Science/Nature Documentary

| Becoming Cousteau

| {{won}}

Golden Trailer Awards

| October 6, 2022

| Best Documentary

| Becoming Cousteau

| {{nom}}

| style="text-align:center;" |{{Cite web |last=Davis |first=Clayton |date=August 2, 2022 |title=Golden Trailer Awards: The Batman and Top Gun: Maverick Among Nominees, Disney Leads for Studios (Exclusive) |url=https://variety.com/2022/awards/news/golden-trailer-awards-2022-the-batman-top-gun-maverick-1235330834/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220803185431/https://variety.com/2022/awards/news/golden-trailer-awards-2022-the-batman-top-gun-maverick-1235330834/ |archive-date=August 3, 2022 |access-date=August 8, 2022 |website=Variety}}{{Cite web |title=Winners of the 22nd Annual Golden Trailer Awards |url=https://goldentrailer.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/GTA22-Winners-List.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221012002436/https://goldentrailer.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/GTA22-Winners-List.pdf |archive-date=October 12, 2022 |access-date=December 18, 2022 |publisher=Golden Trailer Awards}}

Hollywood Music in Media Awards

| November 17, 2021

| Best Original Score – Documentary Film

| Daniel Bensi and Saunder Jurriaans

| {{nom}}

| align="center"| {{cite web |title=2021 Music in Visual Media Nominations |url=https://www.hmmawards.com/2021-music-in-visual-media-nominations/ |website=Hollywood Music in Media Awards |access-date=November 11, 2021}}

Writers Guild of America Awards

| March 20, 2022

| Best Documentary Screenplay

| Mark Monroe and Pax Wasserman

| {{nom}}

| style="text-align:center;" |{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2022/awards/awards/wga-awards-nominations-2022-dont-look-up-king-richard-coda-dune-1235165237/|title=2022 WGA Awards Nominations: CODA, Don't Look Up and Dune Contending in the Screenplay Categories|website=Variety|first=Clayton|last=Davies|date=January 27, 2022|accessdate=January 27, 2022}}

References

{{Reflist}}