'Leviathan' at The Strand for two shows only

ROCKLAND - A groundbreaking, immersive portrait of the contemporary commercial fishing industry, Leviathan, screens at the Strand Theatre for two shows only March 9 at 8 p.m. and March 10 at 3:30 p.m. Just released to cinemas, this award-winning documentary has been recognized by Toronto International Film Festival, the Viennale, the L.A. Film Critics Circle and the Locarno International Film Festival.

Leviathan was filmed off the coast of New Bedford, Massachusetts, which was at one time the whaling capital of the world as well as Melville's inspiration for Moby Dick. Today, New Bedford is the country's largest fishing port with over 500 ships sailing from its harbor every month. The film follows one of these ships, a hulking groundfish trawler, into the surrounding murky black water on a weeks-long fishing expedition. Instead of romanticizing the labor or partaking in the longstanding tradition of turning fisherfolk into images, filmmakers Lucien Castiang-Taylor (Sweetgrass) and Verena Paravel (Foreign Parts) present a vivid, almost-kaleidoscopic representation of the work, the sea, and the machinery and the players, both human and marine.

By employing an arsenal of waterproof cameras strapped to workers, decks, hulls and cranes that swoop from below sea level to astonishing bird's-eye views, the film that emerges is unlike anything that has been seen before. Entirely dialogue-free, but mesmerizing and gripping throughout, Leviathan is a cosmic portrait of one of mankind's oldest endeavors.

The Strand Theatre is located at 345 Main Street in Rockland. Tickets are $8.50 for adults and $7.50 for students and seniors. This film is not rated.

For information, visit rocklandstrand.com, call 594-0070, or email info@rocklandstrand.com.