The Nautical Chart (2007) — AI Story Visualization

Plot Analysis Summary

A poor sailor joins a secretive wreck investigation that grows into a dangerous search shaped by hidden cargo and lost Jesuit navigation.

Story Structure — 5 Plot Phases

A Sailor Meets A Mystery

Coy attends a maritime auction despite his poverty and attracts Tánger Soto's attention through his navigation skills. She offers him a role in investigating the lost Dei Gloria.

Key Events

• Guesthouse Near Ramblas — Coy lives in poverty with only basic belongings and his navigation instruments. Characters: Coy Location: A guesthouse near the Ramblas
• Maritime Auction — Coy attends an auction despite being unable to afford a purchase. Characters: Coy, Tánger Soto Location: Maritime objects auction
• Tánger Notices Coy — Tánger becomes interested in Coy because of his knowledge of navigation. Characters: Coy, Tánger Soto Location: Maritime objects auction
• The Wreck Proposal — Tánger asks Coy to investigate the wreck of the Dei Gloria. Characters: Coy, Tánger Soto Location: Barcelona
• Dei Gloria Cargo — The lost brigantine reportedly carried commercial cargo from Havana. Characters: Coy, Tánger Soto Location: The wreck's historical route

Secrets Beneath The Cargo

Tánger describes the brigantine's history, its cargo, and its destruction near Cape Gata. She reveals that her objective extends beyond the apparently worthless cargo, convincing Coy to join her.

Key Events

• Corsair Attack Account — Tánger recounts the corsair attack and the ship's explosion after boarding. Characters: Coy, Tánger Soto Location: Near Cape Gata
• The Hidden Objective — Tánger admits she seeks more than the apparently worthless cargo. Characters: Coy, Tánger Soto Location: Barcelona
• Coy Accepts The Mission — Coy agrees because Tánger can avoid military control and needs his expertise. Characters: Coy, Tánger Soto Location: Barcelona
• Palermo Enters The Hunt — Palermo also begins pursuing the Dei Gloria and its hidden cargo. Characters: Coy, Tánger Soto, Palermo Location: Barcelona

Palermo Raises The Stakes

Palermo enters the search and threatens Coy and Tánger over the hidden cargo. His claim that the treasure may be jewels leads to a violent confrontation and Coy's imprisonment.

Key Events

• Treasure Threat — Palermo threatens them and claims the treasure may be jewels for Antwerp's underground market. Characters: Coy, Tánger Soto, Palermo Location: Barcelona
• Violent Confrontation — The dispute over the wreck and cargo becomes physically violent. Characters: Coy, Tánger Soto, Palermo Location: Barcelona
• Coy In A Cell — Coy spends two days in a cell after the violent confrontation. Characters: Coy Location: A cell
• Tickets To Cádiz — Tánger waits for Coy with tickets, preserving their expedition plans. Characters: Coy, Tánger Soto Location: Outside the cell

The Search Sets Sail

Tánger waits for Coy with tickets to Cádiz, allowing the expedition to continue aboard the Buenaventura. A warning against weapons underscores the danger surrounding the voyage.

Key Events

• Voyage On Buenaventura — Coy and Tánger begin their expedition aboard the Buenaventura. Characters: Coy, Tánger Soto Location: Buenaventura
• Weapons Prohibited — The expedition is warned that weapons will not be allowed aboard. Characters: Coy, Tánger Soto Location: Buenaventura
• Empty Wreck Site — Coy and Tánger search the supposed site but find no wreck. Characters: Coy, Tánger Soto Location: The supposed Dei Gloria wreck site

The Wrong Meridian

The supposed wreck site is empty, forcing Coy and Tánger to consult Perona. His cartographic analysis suggests drift and reveals that Jesuit ships may have used a secret code and their own meridian.

Key Events

• Perona's Cartography Office — They consult Perona, a professor of cartography, about the failed search. Characters: Coy, Tánger Soto, Perona Location: Perona's workplace
• Modern Longitude Confirmed — Perona confirms their calculations using a modern Cádiz-based longitude. Characters: Coy, Tánger Soto, Perona Location: Perona's workplace
• Possible Drift Revealed — Perona explains that the ship could have drifted from its last known position. Characters: Coy, Tánger Soto, Perona Location: Perona's workplace
• Jesuit Meridian Mystery — Perona recognizes that the Jesuit vessel may have used its own code and meridian. Characters: Coy, Tánger Soto, Perona Location: Perona's workplace
• A New Search Direction — The possible Jesuit meridian redirects the search for the wreck and treasure. Characters: Coy, Tánger Soto, Perona Location: Perona's workplace

Story Breakdown

• Coy's Uncertain Beginning — Coy is introduced as a penniless sailor whose practical navigation skills become valuable.
  • Life Near Ramblas — Coy lives in a guesthouse and owns only basic possessions, books, certificates, and a sextant.
  • Auction Encounter — Coy attends a maritime auction and draws Tánger's attention through his knowledge.
• The Lost Brigantine — Tánger presents the history of the Dei Gloria and recruits Coy to find it.
  • Cargo From Havana — The ship reportedly carried cotton, tobacco, sugar, and two passengers.
  • Cape Gata Attack — An Algerian corsair boarded the ship, which exploded after the attack.
• Tánger's Hidden Motive — The investigation becomes more significant when Tánger admits that ordinary cargo is not her true objective.
  • A Private Investigation — Tánger prefers controlling the search rather than involving a military team.
  • Coy Joins The Search — Coy agrees to contribute the navigational expertise required to interpret the old charts.
• Palermo's Interference — Palermo pursues the same wreck and turns the investigation into a direct confrontation.
  • Jewels And Antwerp — Palermo claims the hidden treasure may be jewels intended for an underground market.
  • Violence And Imprisonment — Threats lead to violence, after which Coy spends two days in a cell.
• The Sea-Bound Expedition — Tánger keeps the mission alive and leads Coy toward the wreck site aboard the Buenaventura.
  • Tickets To Cádiz — Tánger waits for Coy with tickets to Cádiz after his release.
  • Weapons Forbidden — The expedition receives a warning that weapons will not be permitted aboard the vessel.
• The Meridian Revelation — The failed search forces the investigators to reconsider the coordinates and the navigational system behind them.
  • The Empty Wreck Site — Coy and Tánger search the supposed location but find nothing.
  • Jesuit Secret Code — Perona explains that Jesuit ships may have used an internal code and their own meridian.

Directed by

Imanol Uribe

Key Cast

• Carmelo Gómez — Coy
• Aitana Sánchez-Gijón — Tánger Soto
• Darío Grandinetti
• Enrico Lo Verso — Palermo
• Gonzalo Cunill — Kiskoros