Prince Albert joined members of Cousteau team to honor the explorer

The Oceanographic Museum of Monaco, temple of the seas, hosted the exclusive preview showing of the film The Odyssey, the biopic of the great French ocean adventurer and filmmaker Jacques-Yves Cousteau, on Tuesday October 11, 2016, a day before its national release in all cinemas in France.

Prince Albert II did the honors by joining the members of the original Cousteau team and employees of the museum who had worked under the direction of J.Y. Cousteau.

Also present were two young Monegasque actors, Tom Chalot and Mathieu Gormotte who play the sons of Cousteau in the film, as well as his niece Perrine and daughter Fleur Cousteau, Government personalities, members of The Friends of the Museum and the Press.

Prince Albert with young Monegasque actors Mathieu Gormotte and Tom Chalot in the red bonnet during the avant-premiere of The Odyssey at the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco@M. Dagnino

Prince Albert with members of the Monaco Government and privileged guests at the avant premiere of The Odyssey at the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco @ M. Dagnino

Prince Albert with Fleur and Perrine Cousteau at the premiere of The Odyssey at the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco @M.Dagnino

Marc Delemotte, diver member of the Cousteau’s team @F. Pacorel

Francois Dorado, cameraman and Paul Zuena, crew master, of the Calypso during 20 years @F.Pacorel

Prince Albert surrounded by formers members of Cousteau team during the avant premiere of The Odyssey at the Oceanographic Museum @M.Dagnino

A movie about the man, the pioneer and his legacy

L’Odyssee is a film produced by Jerome Salle, shot in four continents including the Argentina Antarctica. It takes place in 1948 when Jacques-Yves Cousteau, his wife and two children, were living in paradise, in a beautiful house overlooking the Mediterranean seas. But Cousteau was dreaming of adventures. On board Calypso (bought on July 19, 1950 and put in the water in June 1951), Captain Cousteau found a ship that would let him realize his vision of using his inventions as a pioneer in unveiling the continental shelf. Cousteau transformed the ship from top to bottom into an oceanographic vessel, becoming the symbol of human hopes to understand Nature better and to protect it. Thanks to his self created autonomous diving gear that allows to breath underwater, he discovered a new world, that he wants to unveil and for which he is ready to risk everything.

Photos of the film The Odyssey being exhibited at the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco @M.Dagnino

The Calypso being restored

Photos of the movie The Odyssey exhibited at the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco @M.Dagnino

Antartida Argentina sector

Exhibition of photos from The Odyssey at the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco @M. Dagnino

An exciting adventure with a star studded cast including: Lambert Wilson as Jacques Cousteau; Pierre Niney as Philippe Cousteau; Audrey Tatou as Simone Melchior Cousteau and Vincent Heneine as Albert Falco.

Protecting the oceans for future generations

It is symbolic that the movie premiere took place at the Oceanographic Museum as Cousteau took possession of his office there on March 20, 1957 until December 1988. During almost thirty- two years, he directed his explorations throughout all the seas of the world. His office is at present occupied by Robert Calcagno the current Director of this important Monaco institution. That’s why Prince Albert tried to save The Calypso, the sturdy wooden minesweeper, and bring this floating legend to the Principality, but after long negotiations Francine Cousteau, second wife of the adventurer, finally decided to transport the vessel to Turkey to be restored in the Aykin naval shipyard, with Patrice Quesnel, former skipper of the America’s Cup, who coordinates the works.

The Principality is grateful to the Cousteau’s legacy to preserve our oceans for future generations, and over and above from the film photography exhibition and the movie avant premiere, in 2018 a large section of the Oceanographic Museum will be dedicated to the 20^th century pioneers, as well as two other important Monegasque explorers, Prince Albert 1er and Albert II, to honor them as they duly deserve!

Today’s Quote

“For most of history, man has had to fight nature to survive; in this century he is beginning to realize that, in order to survive, he must protect it.” Jacques-Yves Cousteau