Common Sense Media Review
By Sabrina McFarland
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Dreams surface for underwater diver; peril, injuries.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Hold Your Breath: The Ice Dive
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
In HOLD YOUR BREATH: THE ICE DIVE, Finnish native Johanna Nordblad holds a record as a distance traveler under ice with just one breath. The diver initially engages in this activity as a form of physical and psychological therapy after experiencing a bike accident. Nordblad, however, attempts to break the old record in the sport and trains extensively for the dangerous endeavor. With support from family, particularly younger sister Elina Manninen, who has cherished their bond since childhood and now as adults and moms, Nordblad is determined more than ever to reach a career goal and embrace the hard work that may be needed to attain it.
Is It Any Good?
There's nothing frosty about this heartwarming film narrative about ice diver Johanna Nordblad. "When I was little," recalls Nordblad in Hold Your Breath: The Ice Dive, "we had a five-meter-deep swimming pool in our town. I used to go to the bottom of that pool and watch the people swimming above me." Elina Manninen shares that her older sister believes girls can do anything that guys could do, such as kayaking or motorbiking. Leading up to an unconventional career path as an adult, Nordblad's plunge into uncharted waters in Hold Your Breath: The Ice Dive will likely immerse kids and teens in a meaningful educational experience about the world of achievement and what it takes to get there.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Johanna Nordblad's courage in Hold Your Breath: The Ice Dive. How do Nordblad and the cast demonstrate communication and perseverance? Why are these important character strengths?
How do Elina Manninen and her older sister, Johanna Nordblad, share their teamwork in the sport? Why do you think the pair's sibling bond is so strong?
What do you think about the risks of underwater distance travel while holding one's breath? Would you consider such a career? Why, or why not?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : May 3, 2022
- Cast : Johanna Nordblad , Elina Manninen , Jean-Charles Granjon
- Director : Ian Derry
- Studio : Netflix
- Genre : Documentary
- Topics : Family Stories ( Siblings ) , STEM
- Character Strengths : Communication , Courage , Perseverance , Teamwork
- Run time : 40 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : September 29, 2025
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