Students and environmental enthusiasts packed Wechsler Theatre Nov.1 to get a glimpse of "The Best of the Santa Barbara Ocean Film Festival 2006" and to listen to a special presentation by Philippe Cousteau, grandson of the renowned environmentalist and explorer Jacques Cousteau.
The Santa Barbara Ocean Film Festival is hosted by the Ocean Channel, a Web-based channel that reports everything about the ocean, from news about travel destinations to what's happening in oceans today. According to Michael Hanrahan, founder of the Ocean Channel, the festival was started several years ago to find excellent films about the world's oceans. Hanrahan said that this year, they received over 70 entries for the festival and narrowed it down to 25 finalists.
Chris Palmer, a professor in the School of Communication and director of the Center for Environmental Filmmaking, said they chose seven award-winning films in different genres to show at the festival. Guest speaker Cousteau, who was recently appointed chief ocean correspondent for Animal Planet, was well-informed on many of the topics the films addressed, he said.
"We're looking at the best films in the world about the ocean tonight," Palmer said. "They range from a one-minute public service announcement to a one-hour film. ... Philippe Cousteau is very knowledgeable about many of the subjects of these films, including environmentalism and conservation."
Several of the films shown were "Giant Mantas of San Benedicto," produced by Tom Campbell and voted Best Natural History Film; "ThankYouOcean PSA," produced by Bob Talbot and Uncle Productions and voted Best Public Service Announcement; and "A Life Among Whales," produced by Bill Haney & Uncommon Productions and voted Best in Show.
Conservation organizations are trying to exert pressure on the governments of Iceland, Norway and Japan to influence corporations to stop whaling, Cousteau said. By raising public awareness about travesties committed against endangered species of whales, it serves to aid lesser-known species of endangered animals, he said.
Cousteau is currently working on a six-episode series on the emergence of spring and nature that will be released in January. He has worked with famous conservationists such as Jeff Corwin and the late Steve Irwin.
Caitlin Green, a freshman in SOC, said she enjoyed the films and the various works Cousteau made.
"The cinematography was fantastic and since it was a film festival, the films were very original," Green said in an e-mail.
Kim Smithman, a sophomore in SOC, said the films will make the public aware of oceanographic issues.
"I think the films will raise awareness about current issues and the world's oceans in general," Smithman said.
