Celebrating marine conservation efforts and indigenous ecological knowledge, the Pacific Whale Foundation’s 8th annual World Whale Film Festival will be presented today from 4:30 to 9 p.m. at the Ocean Organic Farm & Distillery in Kula. Courtesy photo
KAHULUI – Celebrating marine conservation efforts and indigenous ecological knowledge, the Pacific Whale Foundation’s 8th annual World Whale Film Festival will be presented today from 4:30 to 9 p.m. at the Ocean Organic Farm & Distillery in Kula, with access to the films available online from Saturday through July 31.
“We’ve got a fabulous lineup of award-winning films we’re going to be showcasing at the event at the Ocean Organic Farm & Distillery,” said Alicia Wood, the Foundation’s communication specialist. “It’s like a full evening out with dinner and drinks. We also have a VIP option with an ecotour on a whale vessel with the filmmakers the next day.”
A fundraiser for the Foundation’s mission to protect the ocean through science and advocacy and inspire environmental stewardship, the festival includes films from Thailand, the Azores, Canada, New Zealand, Argentina, Italy, and the U.S.
Among the 14 films, “Blue Whales: Return of the Giants” takes the viewer on a journey to explore the world of the magnificent blue whale, a species rebounding from the brink of extinction. Narrated by award-winning actor Andy Serkis, the film follows a scientific expedition to find a missing population of blue whales not seen in 50 years, while another segment features “Blue Whale Whisperer” Diane Gendron, in Mexico’s Gulf of California, where she explores the important role these whales play in the health of our oceans. This film will not be available online.
Directed by Maui residents Leah Warshawski and Todd Soliday, “Uncle Bully’s Surf Skool,” explores the world of Bull Kotter, or Uncle Bully as he is known, who taught thousands of students surfing through his Bully’s Surf School in Lahaina. Completing filming before the Lahaina fire, the couple subsequently “filmed Bully post-fire and filmed at a surf event up on the North Shore for the first time that a lot of the kids were getting back into the water,” explained Warshawski.
Offering a rare glimpse into the homeless epidemic on Maui, the film became a tribute to Lahaina. Reflecting on the fire, Kotter said in the film, “Life is the most precious gift. I don’t feel homeless. I have the ocean that takes care of me.”
“Igniting Change: Maui Brush Fires” is a short film produced by three Maui high school students, Calvin Araki, Kaiden Yoshikawa, and Lewis Snyder. It explores the causes and impacts of brush fires on Maui, and highlights actionable steps that the public can take to prevent these devastating incidents.
Shot at popular beach locations around Maui, “Stand Up For Our Ocean,” features accounts from student filmmakers (Naupaka Olaitiman, Bella Molina, Jaiden Ibanez, Carmelita Galetto, and Elliot Briggs) about the environmental threats facing our oceans and ways we can all make a difference.
Winner of the People’s Choice Award at the Santiago Wild Festival, “Península Valdes: the Cradle of Patagonia” is a National Geographic documentary about a unique conservation site, home to a breeding population of endangered southern right whales as well as breeding populations of southern elephant seals and southern sea lions.
Award-winning Italian filmmaker Francesco De Augustinis’ latest project, “Until the End of the World,” delves into the devastating impact of hugely profitable global fish farming. In a statement to the Pacific Whale Foundation, De Augustinis explained, “the idea behind the documentary was to find out if the aquaculture industry, the industry that is growing more fast among the food industries, is really a sustainable solution to make more sustainable our food system.”
“Breath Of Aloha” aims to spark interest and ignite curiosity to find out what is aloha and to reach beyond the shores of Hawaii to inform the world about its importance.
“Aloha is connecting to our aina,” explained Kimo Adams in the film. “It’s connecting to our native plants. Hawaii has the key, and that key is aloha.”
The World Whale Film Festival is presented today from 4:30 to 9 p.m. at the Ocean Organic Farm & Distillery. Tickets are $75 kamaaina, and $100 for general admission, which includes dinner and drinks. A VIP ticket for $450 includes dinner, films and a “Filmmaker Cocktail Cruise” on Friday. All in-person tickets include access to the online film festival. The online festival with 13 films runs from Saturday through July 31. Films are available online for a $25 donation. More information is available at www.pacificwhale.org.
- Celebrating marine conservation efforts and indigenous ecological knowledge, the Pacific Whale Foundation’s 8th annual World Whale Film Festival will be presented today from 4:30 to 9 p.m. at the Ocean Organic Farm & Distillery in Kula. Courtesy photo