February 11, 2026
Official Selection_ 9th Annual World Whale Film Festival
Wealth Untold (USA)
Film by Eladio Arvelo
Set in Belize, home to the longest barrier reef in the Western Hemisphere, Wealth Untold follows inspiring women leaders working to protect the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef amid growing threats from overfishing, development, and climate change. Through their personal stories, the film highlights the vital role of women in safeguarding a UNESCO World Heritage ecosystem while supporting their communities and shaping a sustainable future for coastal regions worldwide.
Sharks in a Changing Sea
Film by Lily Zhang
Sharks in a Changing Sea Stories from the Depths and the People Who Know Them explores North Carolina’s vibrant dive culture and the deep local knowledge surrounding sand tiger sharks. Guided by conservation biologist Dr. Carol Price and longtime divers, the film captures a grassroots understanding built through hundreds of dives and decades of firsthand encounters. Shipwrecks in the “Graveyard of the Atlantic” have become nurseries for these charismatic but misunderstood predators. This is a love letter to the ocean, and to those who dive in, year after year.
Peixinho (Little Fish) (United Kingdom)
Film by Kaushiik Subramaniam
In a remote coastal village in Mozambique, where the ocean is both a lifeline and a force of nature, one young man dares to rewrite the narrative of his community. Peixinho is an inspiring tale of resilience and transformation, following the journey of a local hero as he bridges generations and redefines what it means to live in harmony with the sea. Peixinho dives deep into the heart of tradition and progress. Witness how one man's mission to teach children to swim and be safer in the water ripples through the community, saving lives and sparking hope. As he unravels the secrets of the ocean through his research, he also challenges outdated fishing practices, guiding the older generation toward sustainable solutions that honor the sea's fragile balance.
Casually Sinking
Casually Sinking is a 12-minute short film exploring the radical choice to leave home in order to protect oceans and the whales that depend on them. Through intimate conversations with younger, more hopeful naturalists, the film examines why people walk away from comfort, stability, and family for an uncertain life shaped by purpose. Years of financial strain, fractured relationships, and sinking boats raise questions of sacrifice, privilege, and how dedication can slip into obsession. Looking beneath the surface, both literally and emotionally, the film argues that conservation is not fueled solely by optimism, but by active hope rooted in community.
Whales Beloved and Hunted (Germany)
Film by Michael Nieberg
Whaling is internationally prohibited. Yet whales are still hunted in Europe. Why is this? After years of research, filmmaker Michael Nieberg managed to capture a Norwegian whaling ship with his camera. He spares the viewer the bloodiest images but shows how whaling works and the interests behind it. The author takes neither the side of the whale conservationists nor the whalers but instead attempts to present a neutral picture of the current whaling situation in Europe, even taking a look at Iceland. Can maybe tourism help to save the whales?
Enter the Wild (Australia)
Film by Beau Eastman
Enter the Wild is a short-form wildlife series for YouTube that brings viewers into the lives of animals across diverse habitats worldwide. Each 6–8 minute episode focuses on a single species, using cinematic visuals and strong storytelling to reveal natural behavior, survival challenges, and conservation threats, inspiring a deeper connection to the natural world.This episode follows a female humpback whale off Australia’s Queensland coast during a dramatic heat run, as she is pursued by multiple males. Featuring striking underwater imagery and rare GoPro footage from the whale’s back, the film captures the intensity of migration while revealing the hidden danger of entanglement.
SEI the Unknown Whale (Argentina)
Film by Juan María Raggio and Mariano Fernandez
Just a few years ago, an extraordinary and little understood phenomenon began unfolding in the Argentine Patagonian Sea, where more than 2,500 critically endangered sei whales started gathering near the shores of the San Jorge Gulf off Comodoro Rivadavia. Led by marine biologist Mariano Coscarella, a team of local scientists and conservationists investigates where these whales come from, why they arrive, and whether they are safe. Their work reveals a richly biodiverse ocean and reshapes how this historically oil producing region understands and protects marine life just beyond its coast. Featuring special participation by Enric Sala and rare footage of sei whales.
La Costa Quebrada: Nature Between the Tides (Spain)
Film by Nat Savage
La Costa Quebrada: Nature Between the Tides explores the wild beauty of the Cantabrian coast in northern Spain, a rugged landscape shaped over thousands of years by wind, water, and time. This short film takes viewers through the region’s rich mosaic of habitats, from the ever-changing intertidal zone and towering sea cliffs to offshore islands and coastal fields. Along the way, it reveals the remarkable diversity of wildlife that has adapted to life at the edge of land and sea, offering an intimate portrait of a coastline where nature remains powerfully alive.
Saving Kahola (USA)
Film by Nick Zachar
Saving Koholā offers a rare and intimate look at the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary team who monitors and disentangles humpback whales that migrate to these waters to mate and give birth. Entanglement in marine debris remains a major global threat to marine mammals, often leading to injury, starvation, or death. This film documents the high-stakes work of responding to these incidents, from tracking, approaching, and disentangling whales from dangerous debris. Come along as we follow the response team to capture the urgency, precision, and passion that define this critical conservation work. The film raises public awareness about marine mammal entanglement while honoring the deep cultural and ecological connection Native Hawaiians hold with these migratory giants.
The Island of Giants (Portugal)
Film by Nuno Sá
The Azores. One of the most remote archipelagos on earth. A marine sanctuary in the middle of the Atlantic, crossed by great ocean wanderers on their extraordinary migrations. But recently tuna fishermen of one of its smallest islands have had close encounters with a population of large Whale Sharks, completely unknown to science. Now a team of scientists equipped with special cameras will try to discover what is this mysterious relationship between whale sharks and large schools of tunas. But as they descend on a submarine towards the deep waters of the Azores, they will have an encounter that will forever change what we know about the life of the largest fish in the world.
Two Breaths (USA)
Film by Kateryna Kurganska
A poignant animated short set in the near future, after a man-made nuclear disaster renders a once-lush island uninhabitable. When evacuation fails and her grandfather dies trying to protect their home, 11-year-old Ava is left alone to survive, carrying grief, resilience, and her deep connection to the sea. After a near-fatal accident, Ava is saved by a majestic manta ray she names Two Breaths, forming an unexpected bond that helps her face loss and isolation. As the island’s danger intensifies, Ava must find the strength to let go of everything she loves and swim toward an uncertain escape, discovering that survival sometimes means saying goodbye.
Ripple & Rocket (Australia)
Film by Kylie Claude and Marianna Boorman
Inspired by a true story, Ripple & Rocket is a hand-drawn animated short told entirely from the dolphins’ perspective, following a mother and her calf as they navigate human-dominated waters. The film captures the beauty and fragility of marine life while revealing the profound bond between mother and child and the devastating consequences of human interference.
The Snake and the Whale (USA)
Film by John Carlos Frey
Over the past fifty years, four federal dams impounding the Lower Snake River in Washington State have been identified as the root cause for the demise of all of Idaho’s anadromous fish. "The Snake and the Whale" reveals the corrupt deals behind the dams' construction and the subsequent campaigns to hide their role in this ongoing ecological disaster. Additionally, the dams have profoundly impacted a group of Killer Whales off the coast of Washington, known as the Southern Resident Orca, which rely on Snake River salmon as a primary food supply. These majestic creatures are now atop the Endangered Species list.
The Story of Nā Hiku (USA)
Film by Amia Voluntad
This short film follows the transformation of a historic sailing vessel into a living classroom that empowers young women and children as future caretakers of the ocean. Gifted to a new nonprofit in Maui, Hawaiʻi, founded by Anela Gutierrez in collaboration with the Hawaiian Outrigger Canoe Voyaging Society, the vessel was renamed Nā Hiku and carries forward a legacy of maritime education, cultural exchange, and traditional Polynesian voyaging knowledge. In 2025, Nā Hiku was sailed from the Pacific Northwest to Kihei in honor of Greg Kaufman, whose life’s work inspired generations of ocean stewards. Led by master navigator Sesario Sewralur and renowned Polynesian captain Anofu Havea, the voyage marked a powerful passage of knowledge and kuleana. Today, Nā Hiku serves as a floating classroom, reconnecting girls to the skills, confidence, and cultural responsibility of sailing and caring for the sea.
Battle of the Blues (USA)
Film by Adam Ryokichi Ernster
A cinematic portrait of blue whales off Southern California, featuring rare footage of the largest animals ever to live on Earth in powerful feeding aggregations. The film traces their return from the brink of extinction while confronting the modern threats they face today, including ship strikes, noise pollution, and climate change, captured in extraordinary scenes from the Santa Barbara Channel in 2024.
Humpback – Adapting to Humanity (Australia)
Film by Alexander Forrest
Once on the edge of extinction, an over 1,500 percent rebound in numbers has symbolized the Humpback Whale’s success story - yet the survival of these gentle giants now depends not on fleeing from harpoons, but adapting to an ocean that’s being redefined by humanity. Moving humpback testimonies and confronting archival imagery will intersect with captivating aerial and underwater visuals.
This film brings the altruistic world of the Humpback Whales to the surface - reminders of the ocean’s value to community and environment, the importance of coexistence and glimmering ecological hope.
Captive (United Kingdom)
Film by Ben Gibson
A powerful examination of the physical and psychological impacts of captivity on orcas. Through interviews and archival footage, the film confronts the ethics of removing these intelligent animals from the wild.
Change Makers (Greece)
Film by Casey Beck
Born into a long line of Greek fishermen, Lefteris Arapakis chose a different path. He founded Greece’s first fishing school focused on removing plastic from the sea, working directly with fishermen to clean local waters and protect the Mediterranean. This film follows Lefteris as the first of six young climate leaders transforming their communities through practical action, showing how local solutions can drive meaningful change in the face of the climate crisis.
Counting Orca (USA)
Film by Jessica Huser, Natalie Taylor
A tribute to the endangered Southern Resident killer whales and the scientist who began the census to protect them. Through decades of research, community action, and early scientific discovery led by Dr. Ken Balcomb, the film follows a fight against time itself, capturing the fragile hope, persistence, and collective effort behind the whales’ struggle for survival.
Stone Biter: Saving the Arctic Sea Forests (Norway)
Film by Ismaele Tortella
AWhen an Italian photographer dives into the icy waters of Northern Norway to film wolffish in kelp forests, he instead discovers an ocean floor stripped bare. As he searches for answers, he uncovers how exploding sea urchin populations and human impact have pushed Arctic Sea forests to the brink. Stone Biter: Saving the Arctic Sea Forests follows his journey alongside scientists and local communities working to restore a fragile ecosystem before it’s too late.
Partnerships
Ocean
In partnership with Pacific Whale Foundation and 10% for the Ocean, this special behind-the-scenes segment offers insight into the making of the documentary Ocean. Introduced through a recorded message from 10% for the Ocean CEO Carolina Manhusen, the short highlights the collaboration between filmmakers, scientists, and crews working to tell powerful ocean stories responsibly. Audiences are encouraged to watch the full film Ocean beyond the festival.
