In 2008, Swiss adventurer Xavier Rosset spent ten months alone on the uninhabited island of Tonga in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. 300 Days Alone recounts the extraordinary adventures of living in Tofua with nothing but the clothes on his back, a Swiss Army knife and machete, a medical kit, a satellite phone and a solar panel to charge his camera equipment.
Tofua is a small volcanic island that has been uninhabited since the 1960s due to constant eruptions. The protected national park and nature reserve served as Xavier’s home for 300 days as he battled harsh living conditions, the elements and his greatest challenge – his state of mind – to survive.
As soon as he arrived, the boat drove away and he started running. We see that the shelters he built with his own hands will stand the test of the rain, not waterproof. He did not use any existing buildings, which were few and far between. He strives to build another roof by weaving coconut shells and leaves together to make it stronger and cheers that it survived.
We watch as he learns how to fish and how to preserve fish without modern equipment by drying it to keep it fresh and free from ants and other pests. Symbolically, he put the watch away for safekeeping. It represents his daily life off the island, independent of the seemingly infinite time on the island.
Once his immediate physical needs (a steady food supply and shelter) were met, Xavier set out to explore the island to see what else it had to offer. He visited the nearby active volcano and gazed with pleasure into its crater. He walked along the coast, gazed out to sea, and wandered for hours in search of the cave where Captain Bligh and his crew lived when they were stranded at Tofoa during the infamous Bounty mutiny in 1789.
It quickly becomes apparent to him and us, the audience, that Xavier has adjusted well to the physical exertion and discomfort of being trapped—despite some nasty infections on his hands from cuts from all the woodwork. But the sense of boredom, aimlessness and loneliness of doing nothing bothered him. He struggles with loneliness, with no one to talk to or share thoughts with.
A desperate visit from a resident of a neighboring island who needed help saving his friend’s finger saved him from despair. Norwegian tourists also come to visit the islands and volcanoes. As thanks for reattaching his finger, Xavier was given a dog as a companion. He found a piglet to take care of, and for his sanity things started right away.
Despite its struggles, it’s an enjoyable film. At the end of his adventure, Xavier reflects on how life on a remote island made him appreciate all that life has to offer.
Directed by: Olivier Vittel
