From Sea to Screen

Take part in World Ocean Day by going to the movies!
Loggerhead Marinelife Center in Juno beach is teaming up with the International Ocean Film Foundation for the 3 ^rd annual   World Ocean Day Film Festival on Saturday, June 8.

Loggerhead Marinelife Center in Juno Beach. Chad Baumer / courtesy photo

In the Gordon & Patricia Gray Auditorium, guests can watch a series of 11 short, ocean-inspired films. Local underwater filmmakers and photographers will also be present to speak with guests.

The group of panelists includes Tom Fitz, a cameraman, producer and director for the BBC, PBS, and National Geographic. Andrea Whitaker is a biologist and underwater photographer who collaborates with the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, utilizing blackwater photography to identify previously unknown marine life.  And Lee Burghard,  an award-winning underwater filmmaker, whose work has been showcased on National Geographic, the History Channel, Netflix, and the Discovery Channel.

The festival’s film lineup includes:

• WILD HOPE: Return of the Manatees –

  Wilma Davis / courtesy photo

  Spotlighting Crystal River, Florida and the community that came together to restore the river and save manatees that call it home.

• The Granny Grommets – In the town of Albany in Western Australia, 90 women over the age of 50 are united by their love of the ocean as they learn the art of riding the waves.
• Shark Researchers: A New Approach to Shark Conservation – Highlighting the importance of shark conservation in coastal Belize, despite the tradition of shark fishing. Watch as fishermen transform into conservation champions.
• A Disappearing Forest – Purple sea urchins are devouring California’s kelp forests, but scientists are working to put the ecosystem in balance.
• Return of the Mangroves – Follow the Mangrove Action Project   to El Salvador’s Bay of Jiquilisco. After 12 years, the team returns to access mangrove health in Central America’s vast mangrove forests.
• Konstantinus’ Legacy – Awakening the Love for Nature – A native of Batana Island, Indonesia, Konstantinus educates communities on local nature; actively planting corals, seagrass, and mangroves to safeguard his homeland.
• Kingdom of Ice: Antarctica’s Leopard Seals – This film explores one of Antarctica’s most notable predators, the rarely-seen leopard seal.
• Blue Habits: Baja, Mexico – Meet Huber Omar Murillo Nuñez, a lifelong resident of Bahía Magdalena, and hear how tourism has impacted his life and his community.
• Deep Trouble – Oceanographer Dr. Sylvia Earle and world-renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma urge viewers to understand the serious threat created to the ocean’s ecosystem by deep-sea mining.

  The Granny Grommets is an ocean inspired film about the women of Western Australia.
  Leah Rustomjee / courtesy photo

• Deep Look – In this episode from PBS, Deep Look highlights how mussels create byssal threads, known as the mussel’s “beard,” to attach themselves to rocks and each other.
• Dahican – Discover how Filipino fishermen transformed from turtle hunters to dedicated conservationists. The film captures the importance of educating younger generations on efforts to protect endangered species.

The World Ocean Day Film Festival takes place on Saturday, June 8, beginning at 5 p.m. on the Ocean Sky Deck with a cocktail hour and a silent auction. Tickets are $40 per person which include one beverage courtesy of Sailfish Brewing Company and full access to the evening’s events. The film festival and panel discussions will run from 6- 9 p.m.

For a family-friendly experience of the World Ocean Day Film Festival, join LMC on Sunday, June 9 from noon- 2 p.m. for a free, curated screening of award-winning, ocean-centered films. The event will feature 10 professional and youth-directed films from around the world. And enjoy a special appearance from Pip the Sea Turtle.

The post From Sea to Screen first appeared on Palm Beach Florida Weekly .