ABOVE THE GIANTS - A Humpback Whale Expedition
Science/Adventure documentary · 45 / 52 min
Written and directed by Ulf Marquardt
In collaboration with the non-profit research organisation EDMAKTUB (Barcelona).
Filmed in the Atlantic ocean off West Africa
Format: 4k/UHD
A cinematic expedition to a hidden humpback whale nursery in the tropical Atlantic – and to an island where a unique sanctuary for mothers and calves is about to face an uncertain future.
In a remote corner of the tropical Atlantic, a team of scientists has encountered a population of humpback whales that has remained largely unknown to the world.
Above the Giants follows an expedition to one of the least explored whale nurseries on the planet – and to a secluded island where ocean, rainforest and human life are still deeply intertwined.
Working in close collaboration with international researchers and using state-of-the-art drone technology, the film allows us to observe the whales from an entirely new perspective: mothers and calves resting in shallow waters, intimate social behaviour, and the fragile balance between the animals and their environment.
At the same time, this hidden sanctuary is facing a new and uncertain future. Plans for oil exploration in the region are moving closer to the whales’ breeding grounds. Without turning the story into a polemic, the film reveals what is at stake – and what could be lost.
Visually driven and emotionally engaging, the documentary is both a cinematic expedition and the portrait of a unique natural and cultural landscape.
A hidden breeding ground of the North Atlantic humpback whale – documented for the first time.
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