‘76 Days Adrift’ Screens At Chatham Orpheum Ahead Of Oscar Bid

 “A view of heaven from a seat in hell.” 

That’s how Steven Callahan has described the 76 harrowing days he spent adrift on the Atlantic Ocean after his 21-foot sailboat was struck by a whale in 1982. 

His ordeal — documented in his bestselling memoir “Adrift: 76 Days Lost at Sea” — is now the subject of a feature-length documentary, “76 Days Adrift,” which will screen at the Chatham Orpheum Theater on Sept. 11 at 7 p.m. A question-and-answer and panel discussion with the filmmakers and producers, including executive producer Robert Sennott, will follow the screening.

On Feb. 4, 1982, about a week out from the Canary Islands and bound for the Caribbean, disaster struck when a whale rammed Callahan’s boat in the middle of the night. With seconds to react, Callahan scrambled into an inflatable life raft with only a small survival kit. For more than two months, the raft became his fragile home as he learned to catch fish, repair leaks and distill water, all while fending off hunger, injury and despair.

The documentary brings the story to life with archival 8mm footage, original photographs, and striking recreations. Director Joe Wainer relies heavily on Callahan’s narration, featuring Callahan’s voice throughout. The film also features an original score by Patrick Stump, lead singer of Fall Out Boy. 

 “There’s humor, there’s good humor, and there’s emotion in the film that makes people both cheer and cry,” said Sennott, who worked with Callahan on the project. “It’s just this wonderful story that people should embrace. It’s uplifting, inspiring, and somewhat enlightening.”

Callahan’s story even caught the attention of Oscar-winning director Ang Lee, who consulted with him while creating the film “Life of Pi,” bringing him to Taiwan to consult on the water and survival scenes to make Pi’s ocean journey feel authentic. Lee ended up executive producing the film.

Following the Orpheum screening, the film begins its Oscar-qualifying run in New York, where it will be in contention for Best Documentary and Best Original Score.

Tickets for the Chatham screening are available through the Orpheum box office and website.