Skyler Thomas’ 2-minute film about how the ecosystem in South Africa went haywire after the near removal of the Great White Shark kicked off the festival. Julian Watson followed with a 54-minute film on Surfing and Sharks where he documents that 1 shark attack occurs for every estimated 1 million surfing hours.
This is Your Ocean: Sharks by Jim Abernethy showcased artists Dr. Guy Harvey and Wieland while Crustaceans of Ambon Bay by Nannette Van Antwep brings to the screen an amazing array of exotic creatures in Indonesia, from the bright and brilliant to the astonishingly camouflaged.
The Woman Who Swims with Killer Whales, a film by Mark Woodward, tells the remarkable story of marine biologist Ingrid Visser. The film shows Ingrid swimming among orcas in New Zealand, among the ocean’s most feared predators, that she has come to know nearly all by sight. An unusual number of recent deaths spurred her to investigate the cause. The film explains how her findings reveal disturbing new information about the health of the oceans.
Southern California native, born 1962, is the creator of the WOWSA Awards, Oceans Seven, Openwaterpedia, Citrus Corps, World Open Water Swimming Association, Daily News of Open Water Swimming, Global Open Water Swimming Conference. He is Chief Executive Officer of KAATSU Global and KAATSU Research Institute. Inductee in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Swimmer, Class of 2001) and Ice Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Contributor - Media, Class of 2019), recipient of the International Swimming Hall of Fame's Poseidon Award (2016), International Swimming Hall of Fame's Irving Davids-Captain Roger Wheeler Memorial Award (2010), USA Swimming's Glen S. Hummer Award (2007, 2010) and Harvard University's John B. Imrie Award (1984). Served on the FINA Technical Open Water Swimming Committee and as Technical Delegate with the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games, and 9-time USA Swimming coaching staff. Note: WOWSA only recommends products or services used or recommended by the community. WOWSA does not receive compensation for links or products mentioned on this site or in blog posts. If it does, it will be indicated clearly on that specific post. See WOWSA's privacy policy for more information.