2011 Festival Program

Where the Whales Sing (Bermuda), Andrew Stevenson

Bermuda is the only mid-ocean platform in the Northern Hemisphere providing a window into the migratory social behaviour of humpback whales. This one-hour film documents new evidence of the humpbacks’ lives with remarkable close-up underwater footage of humpback whales in Bermuda, their breeding grounds in the Caribbean, and their feeding grounds in Eastern Canada.

Three years ago Bermuda-based Producer/Director Andrew Stevenson embarked on what seemed like an interesting and challenging project to film the North Atlantic humpback whales underwater in the middle of their mid-ocean migratory crossings. The humpback whales have since become an overriding passion. Come share his journey, told through the eyes of his 6-year old daughter, Elsa.

www.whalesbermuda.com

Winner “Best Emerging Underwater Filmmaker”- BLUE Ocean Film Festival, August 2010

Monsterboards (USA), Matthew McGregor-Mento  **2011 VFOF WINNER AS CHOSEN BY THE PUBLIC**

A film about Eef, a surfer in Holland who makes and rides wooden surfboards with painted monsters on them in the freezing and junky surf of his home.

Official Selection- New York Surf Film Festival 2010

Winner of the "JURY´S PRIZE FOR THE BEST ENVIRONMENTAL SHORT-FILM" @ Surfilm Festival #9 2010

http://monstercult.org

Guardians of the Sea (Canada),

Dr. Paul Spong of Orca Lab studies orca linguistics. Ken Balcomb of the Center for Whale Research discovered the impact that navy sonar was having on whales. Meet two of the world's leading experts on orcas.

www.orcalab.org

The Coral Gardener (UK), Elizabeth White and Emma Robens

‘The Coral Gardener’ is a BBC production documenting the inspirational story of one man's passion for the world in which he lives. Austin Bowden-Kerby is a coral gardener. He has brought together his love of gardening, and passion for the underwater world, to do something very special for the coral reefs, and communities, of Fiji.

For more about coral gardening please see: http://www.coralsforconservation.com/

Winner- Best Short Film Award at Wildscreen 2010
Finalist- Best short film at Jackson Hole in 2009

Invited screenings at: Environmental Festival in the National Capital 2010 (Washington DC)
San Francisco Oceans film festival 2010
San Francisco Green Film Festival 2010
Sonoma Environmental Film Festival 2009
Wildscreen Outreach programs in India and Sri Lanka.

Change for the Ocean (USA), Juliet Unfried

Free Range Studios created this 3D animation PSA for Monterey Bay Aquarium's campaign to raise public awareness about the impacts global climate change is having on ocean life. This playful story featuring flamingos, walruses, and turtles reminds us that we all share this Earth -- and the responsibility for taking care of it -- and that we can slow the climate crisis by making little changes on our own and big changes together. Narrated by John Cleese.

www.montereybayaquarium.org

All Points South (USA), Josh Berry and Will Henry, Save the Waves Coalition

All Points South, follows the story of surfers and fishermen activists in Chile and their struggle against forestry industry pollution of coastal waters and waves.  This short, features surfers: Keith Malloy, Ramon Navarro, James Pribram, Raph Bruhwiler, Timmy Turner, and more.

www.savethewaves.org

Winner- Best Short Film, New York Film Festival 2009