A Life Among Whales

A Taste of Whale(en)

In the Faroe Islands, hundreds of pilot whales are slaughtered each year in a hunt known as the “Grind.” This gruesome tradition has drawn outrage from activists, most notably the international conservation group Sea Shepherd, who routinely sail to the islands to try to block whaling boats. Yet the Faroese are equally determined to maintain their tradition, defending the practice as more sustainable and less cruel than getting meat from slaughterhouses. Director Vincent Kelner spends time with both Faroese hunters and Sea Shepherd crusaders, building to a nuanced look at a disturbing event with much larger implications for the way humans relate to other creatures.

Whales in a Changing Ocean(en)

Wildlife photographer Richard Sidey joins an international team of whale research scientists in Antarctica to document their work on how Humpback Whales are adapting to a changing ocean.

Blue Whales: Return of the Giants(en)

Blue Whales: Return of the Giants 3D takes viewers on a journey of a lifetime to explore the world of the magnificent blue whale, a species rebounding from the brink of extinction. Following two scientific expeditions—one to find a missing population of blues off the exotic Seychelles Islands, the other to chronicle whale families in Mexico’s stunning Gulf of California—the film is an inspirational story that transforms our understanding of the largest animal ever to have lived.

Le clan des cachalots(fr)

Life in the Blue(en)

This films reveals the extraordinary variety of life found in the vast blue expanses of the
open ocean. Here, all the action takes place in a 10 metre deep band of water, just under the surface. Many species use this section of water to migrate and hunt while others use ingenious ways to stay hidden where there appears to be no shelter.

The Whale and the Raven(en)

Director Mirjam Leuze’s The Whale and The Raven illuminates the many issues that have drawn whale researchers, the Gitga’at First Nation, and the Government of British Columbia into a complex conflict. As the people in the Great Bear Rainforest struggle to protect their territory against the pressure and promise of the gas industry, caught in between are the countless beings that call this place home.

Collision(en)

Killer Whales: the Mega Hunt(en)

A newly discovered mega-hunt is happening off the coast of South Africa. In an epic annual spectacle in False Bay, a pod of cunning killer whales hunt 5,000 common dolphins.

The White Planet(fr)

The White Planet or in French, La Planète Blanche, is a 2006 documentary about the wildlife of the Arctic. It shows interactions between marine animals, birds and land animals, especially the polar bear, over a one year period. The fragility of the Arctic is hinted at as a reason to prevent climate change. It was nominated for the Documentary category in the 27th Genie Awards in 2007.

Patrick and the Whale(en)

Marine videographer Patrick Dykstra explores the wondrous world of whales in this breathtaking and revealing documentary.

Sea Monsters: Search for the Giant Squid(en)

The scientific search for the elusive giant squid.

Ocean Souls(en)

Ocean Souls Films and Wildlife Media unite 100+ filmmakers, scientists, and leading experts to shine a bright, new spotlight on humanity’s closest living relatives - cetaceans (whales, dolphins, and porpoises). New footage and scientific discoveries reveal the extraordinary world beneath the ocean’s surface, where these majestic beings exhibit characteristics not unlike ours in terms of emotions, language, family, intelligence, and human interaction. Directed by Philip Hamilton, this multi-award-winning film inspires people to care and want to protect the oceans.

Sonic Sea(en)

The devastating impact of industrial and military ocean noise on whales and other marine life.

The Mermaids' Tears: Oceans of Plastic(fr)

Every km of ocean now contains an average of 74,000 pieces of plastic. A 'plastic soup' of waste, killing hundreds of thousands of animals every year and leaching chemicals slowly up the food chain. In Holland, scientists found plastic in the stomachs of 95% of all fulmar birds. In Germany, plastic has been found to affect the reproductive systems of animals, while in the US, conservationists are seeing increasing numbers of dolphins die in agony, their guts blocked with rubbish. What will be the long term impact of this 'plastic pollution'? Can anything be done to clean up our oceans?

A Whale’s Worth(es)

What is a whale worth? What price can be put on the life of such majestic animals? How can we estimate that cost? And how have humans changed the way they value whales throughout history? What are whales used for? What are they needed for? To answer these questions, and many more, Natacha Aguilar, eminent Canary Island marine biologist and expert in cetaceans, guides us on a spectacular – and highly personal – journey through time and space. With the help of a committed group of scientists and non-profit organizations, A Whale’s Worth discovers the remarkable, little-known lives of these animals.

Girt by Sea(en)

Girt By Sea is a cinematic love letter to the coastline of Australia - a poetic celebration of our connection to the sea as documented through archival footage over the past 100 years.

Island Heroes: The Whale Rescuers of Campobello Island(de)

The Cradle of Whales(en)

Thanks to sophisticated equipment, marine biologists have managed to capture unprecedented scenes of the intimate life of humpback whales off the Australian coast. A spectacular immersion in the intimate life of this mysterious species. Off the coast of the Kimberley in northwestern Australia is a major breeding ground for humpback whales. Thanks to sophisticated equipment, such as aerial cameras on board quadrotors or innovative night vision technologies, Curt and Micheline Jenner, whale researchers, capture unprecedented scenes revealing the behavior of cetaceans.

Curtain(en)

Danni moves into a New York apartment and starts sprucing the place up. She doesn’t know the previous tenant committed suicide in very strange circumstances. Nor does she know there’s a mysterious portal to another dimension in the bathroom that’s hungry for…. shower curtains! But where does this unusual gateway hidden behind the white tiling lead? That’s what Danni and her ‘Whale Saver’ chugger workmate Tim decide to find out. It’s an investigation into a unique phenomenon full of surprise and unimaginable horror as they both enter The Yonder in a stunningly directed, creatively devised and quirky oddball gem.

Hampie - A Little Whale Discovers His World(de)

Whales are the largest mammals in the oceans. Giants like Moby Dick inhabit the world’s oceans. But Flipper, the dolphin, also belongs to their species. Hampie, the little humpback whale, will not become as huge as Moby Dick. But at his birth he is already much larger than Flipper. When he has grown up, he has no natural enemies in the ocean. But growing up is quite stressful, Hampie can tell you about it. And no enemies? – That would be nice. But see for yourself how he lives. Get to know his family and listen to the tales from the past. Discover his living space, which is beautiful, but also full of dangers. And accompany him on his long, adventurous journey from the Pacific to the Arctic.