Netflix developing film about the youngest person to sail around the world

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

I am not a boat person by any means; the majority of boating experiences I've experienced throughout my life have simply been as a passenger, so the thought of sailing unassisted around the world seems absolutely terrifying, let alone doing so at the age of 16, but that's precisely what Australian teenager Jessica Watson did.

In 2009, Watson voyaged around the globe and navigated some of the world's most challenging stretches of oceans for 210 days, even surviving seven knockdowns.  Upon completion of her voyage, she was met by the Prime Minister who declared her an Australian hero. Well, Netflix is taking Jessica Watson's incredible story and will be transforming it into a feature-film. The project will be based on "True Spirit," Watson's memoir, and is slated to be helmed by Sarah Spillane, who will co-write the screenplay with Cathy Randall. In a statement, Watson said:

It’s quite humbling to have Netflix bring my story to life. I hope that the film inspires people around the world to try sailing and to also pursue their own adventures.

"I am honored and excited to be charged with bringing Jessica’s extraordinary journey to screen," said Spillane in her own statement. "What drew me to Jessica’s story is her relentless fight and determination to defy the odds and accomplish her dream in a world that is largely dominated by men, making her a source of inspiration for so many people, especially young women, across the globe." Watson is slated to consult on the project. "True Spirit is the story of her epic voyage," reads the synopsis for Watson's memoir via Amazon. "It tells how a young girl, once afraid of everything, decided to test herself on an extraordinary adventure that included gale-force winds, mountainous waves, hazardous icebergs, and extreme loneliness on a vast sea, with no land in sight and no help close at hand. True Spirit is an inspiring story of risk, guts, determination, and achievement that ultimately proves we all have the power to live our dreams—no matter how big or small."