With stunning footage of Antarctica’s unique landscapes and wild life, The Last Ocean profiles the international battle over commercial fishing in the Ross Sea, the last pristine ocean ecosystem on earth.
The
Ross Sea is a vast, icy landscape that teems with life -- whales, seals
and penguins carving out a place on the very edge of existence. This
‘living laboratory’ is one of the last places where the delicate balance
of nature still prevails, largely untouched by humans. But an
international fishing fleet has recently made its way to the Ross Sea,
targeting the highly lucrative Antarctic Toothfish, sold as Chilean Sea
Bass around the world.
Californian ecologist Dr. David Ainley has
studied the Ross Sea’s unique ecosystem for more than forty years and
knows that unless fishing is stopped, the natural balance will be lost
forever. He rallies fellow scientists and builds a global campaign to
protect this last pristine marine ecosystem.
Featuring top
scientists, including Dr. Sylvia Earle and Dr. Daniel Pauly, as well as
international political leaders, the film examines both the science and
politics behind the debate over preserving Earth’s last truly wild
ocean.
Reviews and Festivals
"Highly Recommended. The documentary is beautifully filmed, with stunning images of wildlife and glaciers. Those images contrast starkly with the tale of rapacious exploitation – ground zero for the unseen consequences of the world’s insatiable appetite for fish. The Ross Sea debates in this documentary provide an excellent window into the current state of environmental science and politics."
– Educational Media Reviews Online
"Highly recommended. Gorgeously filmed, thought-provoking documentary... A noteworthy film that lays out many reasons why it is important to protect the last sea, this is highly recommended."
–Video Librarian
"Passionate and beautiful... Students and teachers alike will find this video to be a thought–provoking and moving presentation. Viewers will come to understand the conflict between the seemingly limitless appetite of humans for seafood and the value of preserving what may be the Earth’s last untouched marine ecosystem."
– NSTA Recommends
“Four Stars. The Last Ocean is a spectacular, informative and urgent piece of work... Through Peter Young’s lens, the Antarctic looks wild and wonderful.”
–Graeme Tuckett, Dominion Post
"Four stars. Young's film is absorbing, politically and ecologically informative, nightmarish, and excellent, albeit disturbing, cinema."
– Sam Edwards, Waikato Times
“Peter Young’s ravishing footage lends emotive force to his detailed account of the case against fishing Antarctic waters.”
–Bill Gosden, New Zealand International Film Festival
"A frightening omen of our planet’s future... told with truth, humor and brittle, ephemeral beauty.“
–Melenie Parkers, Yahoo Entertainment NZ
AWARDS
Winner, Best Feature & Best Science Communication Film
Reel Earth Environmental Film Festival
Winner, Best Call2Action Film, Boulder International Film Festival
Winner, Royal Reel Award Documentary, Canada International Film Festival
Winner, Best Documentary, Real to Reel International Film Festival
Winner, Moving Mountains, Mountainfilm in Telluride
Winner, Independent Producer of the Year, New Zealand Screen Producer and Development Association
OFFICIAL SELECTION
New Zealand International Film Festival
Environmental Film Festival in the Nation’s Capitol
International Wildlife Film Festival, Missoula, Montana
Green Screens Festival, Lincoln Center, New York
Santa Barbara International Film Festival
San Francisco International Film Festival
Cleveland International Film Festival
Yale Environmental Film Festival
Mountain Film Telluride
Pariscience, International Science Film Festival
