Vancouver filmmaker Yuqi Kang went to extraordinary lengths to capture the story of Chinese freediving champion Jessea Lu in her latest documentary, 7 Beats Per Minute. The title refers to the remarkably low heart rate a freediver can achieve during a dive. Kang learned to freedive herself, eventually becoming a safety diver for Lu during filming. The documentary is now streaming on the National Film Board of Canada's website.
A Near-Death Experience and Emotional Awakening
The film centers on Lu's harrowing 2018 world-record attempt at Dean's Blue Hole in the Bahamas, the world's deepest limestone sinkhole at 202 meters. During a 93-meter dive, Lu blacked out for four minutes, an experience that nearly killed her. That brush with death triggered an emotional epiphany, forcing her to confront childhood trauma from a troubled upbringing. Lu describes freediving as a remedy for her broken soul, helping her master not only the sport but also her emotional well-being.
Intimate Vérité Filmmaking
Kang, who grew up in Beijing and Alberta, was drawn to freediving as a topic after her first feature documentary, A Little Wisdom (2017). She began researching the sport and its athletes, eventually connecting with Lu in Shanghai in 2019. Their initial coffee date stretched into the night, and Kang knew she had found a compelling subject. Over five years, their collaboration deepened into a close friendship. Lu recalls feeling safe sharing personal memories with Kang, noting that the process felt like talking to a friend rather than being interviewed.
Behind the Scenes
Production faced challenges, including the pandemic, which delayed filming until 2022. Kang traveled to Lu's home on Hawaii's Big Island to capture intimate footage. The film combines stunning underwater cinematography with raw, emotional storytelling, offering a window into the psychological drivers that push Lu to explore both the ocean's depths and her own inner world.
Produced by Intuitive Pictures and the NFB, 7 Beats Per Minute is a testament to the power of documentary filmmaking to reveal the human spirit. Lu, a clinical pharmacologist by profession, says the film allowed her to share her journey authentically. Kang is now working on a narrative feature film, but this documentary remains a deeply personal project that showcases her ability to find extraordinary stories in extreme sports.
