Underwater and in the desert: 'Submergence' in images

A love story that vacillates between two opposing worlds, "Submergence" brings protagonists Danielle Flinders (Alicia Vikander) and James More (James McAvoy) together for the first time in a remote hotel in Normandy where they are both preparing for their respective dangerous missions. They part ways, as James leaves for Somalia to track jihadists and Danny heads into the ocean's depths.

"Submergence" follows three separate strands. In one, James is a British secret service agent sent to Somalia to track jihadists — though fiction, the story is based on J. M. Ledgard's unique reporting from the Horn of Africa. James' path also intertwines with that of Danny, a bio-mathematician searching for the origins of life in the ocean. The third thread unravels when the couple falls in love.

Danny, played by Alicia Vikander ("Anna Karenina"), is a scientist working on a deep-sea diving project. "I was very interested in our lack of perspective of the planet we live on,” said J.M. Ledgard, whose book the film is based on. “It is much bigger than we think it is, much more complicated than we think ... whatever happens to human beings, that life (in the ocean) is going to keep on going."

Although the couple are only briefly on screen together on location at a secluded hotel in northern France, their love story comprises the heart of the movie and the chemistry between them is palpable. The contrast of the dimly-lit hotel and expansive ocean provides a key backdrop for the rest of the story, with the settings becoming characters themselves.

A large part of the plot centers on James' kidnapping while on a trip to Somalia. Although his work for the British secret service is ostensibly very different to Danny's studying of life on the ocean floor, actor James McAvoy saw similarities in their roles. "Danny, my character, the Jihadists – we are all so strongly connected to our beliefs that we are prepared to die for them."

Alicia Vikander, who plays Danny in the film, said she was taken by the film's unique storytelling style. "It was the best adult romantic story that I had ever read because it dares to be challenging, intellectual, in the moment, and shows how people meet in real life. It allows people to talk, to discuss, to fall for one another almost as though they are challenging one another to fall in love."

Shortly after the decision to film the book was made, Wim Wenders was brought on board to direct. While Wenders cites the book's authenticity as a major draw, he imbues the story with his own unique cinematic touch. Filmed over the course of several months in locations as diverse as Normandy and Dijibouti, the film showcases Wenders' inimitable eye for capturing stunning locations.