The Gaze of the Sea

Deep Blue

May 2003 •English

Deep Blue is a major documentary feature film shot by the BBC Natural History Unit. An epic cinematic rollercoaster ride for all ages, Deep Blue uses amazing footage to tell us the story of our oceans and the life they support.

Operation Deep Sea: Shedding Light in the Darkness

June 2008 •English

Deep sea: 1000m below the surface no light, immense pressure and icy temperatures. The deep sea encompasses more than 90% of the planets habitat. Yet we know less about these depths than about the moon. This film documents the technical, scientific, and ecological challenges of deep sea researchers. Scientists work worldwide together to collect data on the physical state of the upper ocean. With more than 3000 autonomous floats they monitor the oceans for influences on weather systems like El Nino or the monsoon. Does it affect global climate change? Does the deep sea offer solutions for the CO2 issue? Researchers in the Okinawa Trough are trying to find out. The sea floor harbors enormous amounts of resources: oil, natural gas, methane. Scientists work hard to try and locate these materials. Millions of deep sea dwellers are waiting for their discovery. The Census of Marine Life is trying to catalogue these bizarre ocean creatures before they disappear.

The True Story of the Mary Celeste

November 2007 •English

On December 4, 1872, the unmanned Mary Celeste was found adrift in the Atlantic with its cargo fully intact. The mystery of this "ghost ship" remained unanswered for over 135 years. What happened to the Mary Celeste is widely regarded as the most famous mystery of the sea. Watch it unfold to its stunning conclusion, at last.

Sea of Plastic

September 2020 •French

The Mediterranean sea is stifled by the growing amount of plastic waste and microplastics, endangering marine mammals, polluting beaches and jeopardizing local economies. How to get rid of this plague? Alexandra Cousteau, granddaughter of worldwide-known explorer Jacques-Yves Cousteau, starts a journey to meet the people who are devoting their life to the Mediterranean sea’s rescue. Some flashing lights sequences or patterns may affect photosensitive viewers.

PQ17: An Arctic Convoy Disaster

January 2014 •English

Jeremy Clarkson tells the dramatic story of the Arctic convoys of the Second World War, from Russia to the freezing Arctic Ocean.

Plastic: The Real Sea Monster

January 2013 •German

Riding Giants

July 2004 •English

Riding Giants is story about big wave surfers who have become heroes and legends in their sport. Directed by the skateboard guru Stacy Peralta.

The Dreamed Films

March 2010 •French

Belgian filmmaker Eric Pauwels' meditation on dream, travel and film.

What Lurks Beneath?!

November 2019 •English

An homage to the weird and wonderful world of B-movies, this short fauxdocumentary by film artist Chris Gerrard splices together classic clips with some new footage to tell the ludicrously fake story of the mysterious people (and things) lurking beneath us in the eerie River Tay. Feast your eyes on this unique archaeology of aquatic-themed film.

Delfine 3D

January 2014 •German

Oceans

January 2010 •English

An ecological drama/documentary, filmed throughout the globe. Part thriller, part meditation on the vanishing wonders of the sub-aquatic world.

Walk the Tideline

April 2021 •Finnish

The movie follows today’s beachcombers in Great Britain, the Netherlands, and Japan. The same endless piles of trash left by humans cover all the shores. Our shared ocean is loaded with time travelers made of plastic, the fruit of our throwaway culture and our indifference. They are the seeds of destruction, as they end up in the entrails of creatures living in the sea. Most of the beachcombers share the same worries about the environment. Beside the plastic trash, many travelers drift between continents, such as various plants’ seeds. Like all species, they look for new living environments where they could survive on a warming planet.

Half Moon

November 2020 •English

A dance between moon and ocean, forests and rivers. A short film by Scott Barley, originally made for a "half moon phase" sequence for Tadhg O'Sullivan's essay film, 'To the Moon' (2020). Shot on iPhone Xs with various rephotographing techniques, combined with superimposed drawings and paintings by Scott Barley. Released as a standalone short film in 2024 as part of 'Short Films (2012–2020): Solo Works by Scott Barley' on Blu-ray.

Life in the Blue

December 2016 •English

This films reveals the extraordinary variety of life found in the vast blue expanses of the
open ocean. Here, all the action takes place in a 10 metre deep band of water, just under the surface. Many species use this section of water to migrate and hunt while others use ingenious ways to stay hidden where there appears to be no shelter.

Devalar (C)

May 2019 •Galician

In Galician, Devalar means “the passing of time over things”. This short movie is a portrait of a seaside Galician village, on the edge of the Atlantic ocean, drawn by the memories of the director.

Reef of Riches

September 2009 •English

The Indonesian archipelago in the Indo-Pacific Ocean comprises thousands of islands, atolls and the largest concentration of coral reefs in the world. This rich and varied environment is a product of a unique set of natural circumstances.

Equator - Reef of Riches

September 2009 •English

The Indonesian archipelago in the Indo-Pacific Ocean comprises thousands of islands, atolls and the largest concentration of coral reefs in the world. This rich and varied environment is a product of a unique set of natural circumstances. The equatorial sun powers ocean currents among the tiny dots of land. Where the archipelago meets the western tip of New Guinea an intersection of ocean currects creates perhaps the world's richest reefs - in the region of the Rajah Ampat Islands. A coral reef houses a myriad of colors, shapes and patterns: from the bulb tentacle anemone which protects, and in turn is protected by, the brightly coloured clownfish; to the multi-branched gorgonian, home of the tiny pygmy seahorses.

Our Earth - Our Oceans

July 2014 •German

Reila

May 2023 •Dutch

Los Felices

Invalid date •Spanish

A love letter to Mar del Plata made of images, times and a road trip. "The Happy Ones" is an experimental short documentary composed of past and present family footage. It portrays a place in the summer, the city of Mar del Plata, with a span of 20 years between past and present images (January 2000 and 2020). Despite the time that passed by, it's beaches, essence and people remain, always willing to keep dancing.