What better way to explore the ocean, its fauna, and flora than through cinema when you don’t live near the sea.
The Corsican association Mare Vivu fights against plastic pollution in the Mediterranean through awareness. Their traveling cinema CinéMare, created in 2023 allows everyone to take the time to discover the underwater world through a film. As Lea Ferrandi said, “it started during the CorSeaCare mission when the team stop sailing for the night and they would organize screenings during their stopovers.”
What is the purpose of this screening? To raise awareness about protecting the marine environment by watching a film about the marine environment, its treasures, and what can be done to protect them. The association prefers documentaries: “The films that were shown are as follows: “The Cry of the Seagulls” by Gisèle Casabianca, “Once You Know” by Emmanuel Cappellin, “BAKELITE,” a short film by freediver Julie Gautier, and “Mediterranean, the Odyssey for Life,” a documentary series by Fredéric Fougeat. These are exclusively documentaries; it is not excluded that we may show fiction films. Within Mare Vivu, we are also in the process of producing a documentary titled “RIPARU” on the issue of marine pollution in Corsica”
So here are some documentary ideas to dive into the depths of the sea on a rainy evening or a Netflix and Chill afternoon:
- The Living Thames: “Introduced by Sir David Attenborough, and presented by environmentalist Chris Baines, The Living Thames is an odyssey along the river as it meanders through London and flows out to sea, exploring its ever-changing ecology.”
- Blue Planet: An 8-part documentary narrated by David Attenborough. A production that is the result of five years of work in over 200 different locations with the help of scientists. This documentary has shed light on some species for the first time and discovered others.
- Blue Planet II: Following the immense success of the first documentary, David Attenborough and his team return with 7 new episodes on the abysses, corals, coastal fauna and flora, or the impact of plastic pollution. A timeless moment accompanied by the original soundtrack composed notably by Hans Zimmer.
- Ocean Therapy: In this documentary, a paralyzed surfer, Bruno, after an accident and the loss of the use of his two legs falls into a deep depression before regaining a taste for life thanks to his passion for the ocean and his love of surfing.
- My Octopus Teacher: An authentic and unexpected friendship between a filmmaker and an octopus that allows us to discover the depths of South African kelp forests and the mysteries of this animal.
- Chasing Corals: Coral reefs are essential to the balance of the oceans. This documentary follows scientists, divers, and photographers and shows the deterioration of coral due to climate change. The documentary was awarded the Audience Award at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival.
- Mission Blue: Inspirational marine biologist Sylvia Earle plunges us into the fight of her life: saving the oceans from human threats such as overfishing and pollution. With the help of scientists and activists, the oceanographer aims to create marine protected areas.
- Planète Océan: French director and activist Yann Arthus-Bertrand shows the impact of humans on the oceans and their known or unknown pollution. With aerial and underwater images, it’s a true maritime dive. This documentary is available for free on YouTube.
Please get comfortable and dive into a Netflix and sea afternoon!
Featured image by Erik Mclean via Unsplash CC