NATURE . WILDLIFE

The Witness is a Whale

50' (ENG, GER)
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The whales are the witnesses to a glorious past of giants and also to an untold human history: the clues are everywhere...

A thousand years ago there was an ocean full of giants. Whales were at the heart of a global web, connected to everything. They were the architects of the sea, and in places, even the land. A basement in Odessa top secret Soviet whaling reports are hidden. During the cold war illegal whaling was out of control, run by the KGB, and few suspected how many whales were killed. Now a member of that Soviet leadership finds the original whalers, spies and scientists to uncover the truth. In a thrilling and interwoven story, ship logs appear from garages, attic and cellars. For the first time, we know how many whales were killed, and so, how many there once were. Whales were far more numerous than anyone suspected. A thousand years ago many millions of whales dominated the sea. An early description is of so many whale blows, plumes of spray, that the surface of the ocean resembled a forest. The implications to how we think of the modern ocean and help it back to health, are profound.

  • Trailer

    Trailer - English
  • Screener

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  • Screener

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Festivals & Awards

  • Deauville Green Awards 2021

    * winner : Gold Trophy (Category: Preservation of the Biodiversity)
  • Green Screen - Internationales Naturfilmfestival Eckernförde 2021

    * winner : Winner (Category: Green Report)
  • Cannes Corporate Media & TV Awards 2021

    * winner : Silver Dolphin (Category: Environment, Ecology & Sustainability)
  • 2022 World Wildlife Day Film Showcase

    * winner : Winner (Category: People & Threatened Species: Long Form)
  • Blue Water Film Festival 2022

    * winner : Winner (Categories: Best Feature Documentary, Directors Vision Award)
  • Filmfestival Ökofilmtour 2022

    * winner : Best Film (Category: Climate Protection)

Facts

  • Trailer

    Trailer - English
  • Screener

    Screener - English
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  • Screener

    Screener - German
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