Feadship “Savannah.” Role in a movie
Fans of action films and, especially, best-selling novels, should watch “The Woman in Cabin 10.” It will also be of interest to cruise lovers, charter enthusiasts, and yachtsmen. You’ll see numerous scenes featuring the superyacht “Aurora Borealis,” played by the 84-meter luxury yacht “Savannah,” built by Feadship in 2015. Moreover, she plays a central role in this detective story.
The film is an adaptation of Ruth Ware’s 2016 novel of the same name. The film stars Keira Knightley, Guy Pearce, and Hannah Waddingham. Knightley plays a journalist who boards a yacht in the North Sea to write an article about a charity owned by a married couple who also own the yacht “Aurora Borealis.” One night, she sees someone fall overboard and reports it to the captain and owner. But no one believes her. They insist all the passengers are safe, leading to a tense plotline. The journalist is determined to find the missing passenger and uncover what really happened, risking her own life.
Principal filming took place in September 2024 and was unlike a real charter. The yacht Savannah, the cast, and crew were based in Portland, England. “We were in the English Channel, and it was freezing the whole time,” laughs Knightley. The crew on board consisted of seventy people, in addition to the permanent captain and 25-person crew. Behind the camera, however, were about 20 actors. Furthermore, scenes where she had to run around the decks were shot with extreme caution to avoid damaging anything on the yacht.
A vast open space on the main deck flows seamlessly into the aft deck with a 9-meter swimming pool. Sliding glass doors allow the areas to be combined into one large space for socializing and relaxing outdoors. Flanking the passageway to the central part of the salon are tall video walls displaying abstract images or underwater footage. An impressive rosewood staircase spirals up all four decks. The master suite, meanwhile, features not only a glass wall but also a large skylight. Incidentally, glass walls were a rarity in 2015.
Other notable spaces aboard superyacht Savannah include the “secret room,” hidden in the bow. This cozy lounge features V-shaped seating directly opposite windows on both sides. While underway, it feels as if you’re floating on the surface of the water. Nearby, the so-called “Nemo Lounge” is another viewing room, partially submerged in water, creating a truly extraordinary experience. This room, with curved glass walls shaped like an amphitheater, can be transformed into a modern cinema with a retractable screen.
The entire film is quite dynamic, with frequently changing scenes allowing for a full video image of all the rooms, including the engine room. It’s a video overview of all the rooms, but without the bombast, advertising, or emphasizing individual details. Simply beautiful footage of a luxury yacht.
It’s a shame Knightley and the rest of the cast didn’t get to enjoy it. Recalling her experience working on Pirates of the Caribbean, she says, “Filming on a pirate ship was easier because you can break it.”
