On Dec. 31, 1988, about 150 passengers board the Bateau Mouche IV in Rio de Janeiro to watch New Year's fireworks from the sea; as it ventures into open water, the unstable boat encounters six-foot waves, sealing its tragic fate.

Amid the storm, families are thrown into the sea without life jackets; a fisherman finds castaways and bodies off Rio de Janeiro and begins a chaotic rescue, aided by a luxury yacht.

When the owners of the Bateau Mouche IV become the focus of a criminal investigation, survivors and families of the 55 victims are stunned by details of their dubious business dealings.

Directors Guto Barra and Tatiana Issa reveal the challenges of bringing one of Brazil's most famous maritime tragedies to the screen.