MEDIA RELEASE

“In the Wake of Giants” by Akua Films has been named a finalist in three categories of BLUE Ocean Film Festival, presented Aug. 24-29 by Monterey Bay Aquarium in Monterey, Calif.

BLUE is a one-of-a-kind film industry and community event bringing together films, filmmakers and leaders in ocean research and conservation. Finalists selected from an unprecedented number of entries include more than 85 ocean-related films in 19 categories.

“In the Wake of Giants” is a finalist for “Emerging Underwater Filmmaker,” “National Marine Sanctuary Shorts” and “Original Music Score.”

Winning films will be announced at award ceremonies Aug. 28.

“In the Wake of Giants” is a documentary about humpback whale rescues in Hawaii featuring NOAA’s Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary’s rescue experts, who are some of the few trained to free large whales of entangling gear.

Much of the footage showing the dangerous nature of the effort was filmed within arm’s reach of the distressed mammals from helmet-mounted cameras.

The 40-ton mammals often drag gear for thousands of miles to Hawai‘i and the sanctuary where more than 10,000 humpback whales migrate every year. Entanglement is one of the primary human-caused sources of serious injury and mortality to whales and dolphins with an estimated 300,000 dying world-wide every year.

“The idea to make this film came from Mara Kerr and Mark DiOrio, the Executive Producers of In the Wake of Giants,” said filmmaker Lou Douros, who has 30 years of experience in bringing stories to life through film and video. “Mara had just finished writing her novel, Oceanus. When she met with the sanctuary’s rescue staff who use whaling techniques from inflatable boats to save whales, she really wanted to tell their story too.”

Douros’ eldest son, Blaise an accomplished composer for independent films and computer games, scored the film.

BLUE will host photography exhibits, seminars, business of filmmaking panels and presentations, pitching sessions, film and photography equipment demos, VIP parties and networking events.

Featured guests include Julie Packard, Sylvia Earle, Jean-Michel Cousteau, David Doubilet, Don Haun, Howard Hall, Bob Talbot, Greg Stone and other film and environmental ocean leaders. A featured forum “Gulf Oil Spill: Tragedy or Turning Point?” will be hosted by Carl Safina.

— Find out more:
www.blueoceanfilmfestival.org
www.noaa.gov