Riveting short film takes you under the sea in 360 degrees
Few people will get to visit eastern Indonesia's remote Bird's Head region, but a new immersive film brings the crystalline waters and exceptionally diverse marine life directly to you.
Valen's Reef, a new 360-degree short film from environmental organization Conservation International, follows West Papuan fisherman-turned-conservationist Ronald Mambrasar and his 8-year-old son Valen as they explore the protected Bird's Head Seascape.
Created in collaboration with virtual reality production company Vrse.works and supported by the Tiffany & Co. Foundation, the film was shot in late March and early April, and debuted Monday at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.
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It has become a model for community-driven conservation.
Now dubbed "the epicenter of marine biodiversity," home to 75% of the world's known coral species and other creatures found nowhere else on the planet, the Bird's Head Seascape was nearly destroyed by overfishing just 12 years ago. Fish populations fell by a staggering 90%, threatening the primary source of food and income for the 760,000 people living on Bird's Head's shores.
Through his narration, Mambrasar describes how his people lost -- and ultimately reclaimed -- their waters.
"When the illegal fishermen came, we welcomed them at first," he says in the film. "They brought us gifts. After they dropped bombs and poison, we would scoop up the fish for them. The fish and the coral started to be lost. We knew it was not right."
Over the course of a decade, however, his community mobilized, with the help of Conservation International and other partners, to restore and protect the Bird's Head Seascape through monitoring and patrolling efforts. It has since become a model for community-driven conservation around the world.
Laure Katz, director of the Seascapes Program for Conservation International, tells Mashable that by training community members, the Bird's Head Seascape Initiative has reduced illegal fishing by poachers by 90%.
"The resulting conservation success story is remarkable," she says. "Local fishers are now catching more fish with the same level of effort, and in key areas, ecotourism is growing by an average of 30% year over year."
In addition to attracting scuba divers from around the world, the Bird's Head Seascape also increases the area's resilience to climate change by reducing other ocean stressors. As a result, it could teach scientists more about how coral can adapt to global warming.
Bird's Head was recently named a "bright spot" for coral reefs in a new study from the journal Nature, meaning the ecosystem is "substantially better than expected." But coral bleaching events are affecting many reefs in Indonesia and worldwide due to warming ocean temperatures, turning coral bone-white and vulnerable, like in Australia's iconic Great Barrier Reef.
Even in the Bird's Head Seascape, there's still work to be done. That's the goal of Valen's Reef -- to capture people's attention and get them involved.
"We can generate support for conservation when we can take a person to see the place that needs their help."
"At CI we have always known that we can generate support for conservation when we can take a person to see the place that needs their help -- it creates a deep connection," Katz says. "In the case of the Bird’s Head region, that's a challenging proposition."
From the U.S., it can take 25 hours to fly on four or five planes, in addition to a three-hour boat ride. The film brings audiences there instantly.
"We're always looking for ways to encourage younger audiences to engage with our planet’s future and the concept that people need nature to thrive. We hope Valen's Reef reaches the widest possible audience, and will be thrilled if this amazing new technology draws interest from a new audience," she says.
The film also highlights the emotional aspect of this goal, especially when Mambrasar addresses his son directly.
"When you, my eldest, were born, my world changed," Mambrasar tells Valen. "I want to be able to give you all of the nature that is here now."
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Topics Film Social Good Sustainability
Matt Petronzio was the Social Good Editor at Mashable, where he led coverage surrounding social impact, activism, identities, and world-changing innovation. He was based at the New York City headquarters from January 2012 to April 2018, and previously worked as the assistant features editor.
