This Europe: Besson's 'The Big Blue' surfaces in Italy after 14-year delay

Luc Besson's hit film The Big Blue was released 14 years late in Italy yesterday, after one of the divers on whom the film is based lifted his veto on its screening.

The film follows the rivalry of the deep-sea divers Jacques Mayol and Enzo Majorca, as they pursue the record for diving without oxygen or scuba equipment.

On it's release in 1988, it was a huge success in Europe, but Mr Majorca, who was born in Italy, went to court to block the film's release there, contending that the portrayal of his character had been unfairly negative. "The film was deeply wounding. I came across as the stereotype of an Italian, in particular of a Sicilian," Mr Majorca told the Italian media.

Mr Besson, famed for films such as Nikita, Leon, and The Fifth Element, has said that he asked Mr Majorca to participate in the making of the film but that he refused. Mr Mayol, by contrast, was involved in the production and co-wrote the script.

However, Mr Majorca, now 70, has dropped his court case after coming to an agreement with Mr Besson to cut certain pieces of dialogue that he found offensive, and the film is to be shown across the country. Mr Majorca is now full of praise for the film, which he calls "beautiful", and for Jean Reno who played him. "He has interpreted my role in a splendid style. At certain times, in certain attitudes, I see myself laid bare."

The film, which stars Reno and Jean Marc Barr, was Mr Besson's first English-language film and became a cult favourite; it's spectacular underwater images of the sea are much admired.

In December last year, Mr Mayol, who held the record as the first man to dive to a depth of 100m without scuba equipment, committed suicide on the Italian island of Elba, aged 74, but the two rivals had been in contact before his death, reputedly talking of making a documentary together.

"He would have done me an enormous favour if he could have been present at the Italian premiere of the film. We would certainly have continued to argue, but it would have been nice," Mr Majorca said.