There are countless stories of bravery, compassion and courage that marked the tumultuous pandemic years. The one told in the documentary Greg Mortimer is very late in coming, yet the light should not shine on it any less. The documentary production itself is quite simple and plain. It’s the real-life actors who make this no-miss viewing. If you’re not familiar with the humanitarian and compassionate nature of the Uruguayan people, you soon will be.
The Greg Mortimer cruise ship set off for Antarctica from Argentina, just two hours before the country closed its borders. What seemed the safest place in the world rapidly became a nightmare when the first positive COVID-19 case was detected. Contagion ran rampant, and the ship became stranded in the middle of the ocean as each subsequent country they approached refused to receive it, until Uruguay.
The boat reached the Uruguayan coast severely impacted by illness and anguish, with positive cases in 70% of passengers and crew, which included Australians, New Zealanders, Americans, and Europeans. Medical authorities and politicians with the support of the president, implemented an operation to repatriate passengers and provide humanitarian aid to the ship docked in the port of Montevideo. Uruguyans lined the streets of their route to the airport, cheering and wishing them well; this just one of many moments still emotional for all who were involved.
Greg Mortimer makes its Australian premiere at the Spanish Film Festival in Brisbane from Friday 30 June at participating Palace cinemas. Check your local guides for screening times.
About Greg Mortimer
Length: 80 mins
Rating: 15+
Language: Spanish with English subtitles, and English
Directed by Federico Lemos
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