23rd Annual International Ocean Film Festival- Online Film Program 2026

Online Screening - Program #4 Hope Beneath the Surface

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Across oceans from Norway to the Maldives, Bali, and Mozambique, this program highlights the people working to restore fragile marine ecosystems. A diver searching for a legendary fish uncovers the disappearance of underwater forests and the communities fighting to bring them back. Scientists and local leaders race to revive coral reefs using innovative techniques and grassroots action, while coastal communities step forward as stewards of their own waters. Together, these films reveal that even in the face of loss, restoration is possible through resilience, collaboration, and hope.

A beautifully moving story about determination and surprises found along the way. Novice Italian scuba diver Ismaele braves the icy waters of Norway to become certified in an attempt to film the iconic wolffish. What he discovers is an ocean floor stripped bare, where once thriving sea forests have mostly vanished. He unravels the mystery of the missing kelp and meets a group of individuals rooted in resilience, restoration and hope, determined to save the ecosystem.  - AB

  • Year
    2025
  • Runtime
    20 minutes
  • Country
    Norway
  • Director
    Ismaele Tortella
  • Producer
    Amberjack Films and Schoolyard Films
  • Executive Producer
    Andy Byatt and Tom Fitz
  • Cinematographer
    Ismaele Tortella, Richard L. Butler, Babang Deshommes, Sebastian Wilches
  • Editor
    Richard L. Butler
  • Composer
    Alexander Leeming Froudakis and Manuela Lubrano
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