A short film by Wendy Tilby & Amanda Forbis.
Synopsis: In 1917 two ships collided in the Halifax Harbour, causing the largest accidental explosion in history. Among the tragic stories of the disaster is the remarkable account of a sailor who, blown skyward from the docks, flew a distance of 2 kilometres before landing uphill, naked and unharmed. The Flying Sailor is a contemplation of his journey.
Drawing on accounts of traumatic shock and near-death experiences, Tilby and Forbis consider the kind of cataclysmic moment that pulls us from our path, strips us bare, and utterly shifts our perspective. By suspending the Sailor in a state of near-death, the film contemplates the stuff of life that is at once fleeting, profound, and utterly insignificant.