Traditional Land of Wabanaki People/Fredericton – HitPlay Productions in partnership with the Conservation Council of New Brunswick presents the award-winning film Last of the Right Whales.
When: Friday July 22nd, 6:30 PM, Shediac Multipurpose Centre,
Where: 58 rue Festival, Shediac, NB E4P 1S4
Reserve tickets here.
North Atlantic right whales are dying faster than they can reproduce. With less than 350 remaining, these great whales rarely die of natural causes. Instead, they are run over by ships or suffer lethal injuries from fishing gear. If we don’t stop killing them, in 20 years they could be extinct.
With unprecedented access to film the whale migration from the only known calving grounds to the shifting feeding grounds, Last of the Right Whales follows the right whale migration and the people committed to saving a species still struggling to recover from centuries of hunting.
Now climate change is forcing these great whales further north in search of food, putting them on a collision course with deadly ships and fishing gear. Featuring breathtaking footage of the majestic but rarely seen North Atlantic right whale – as observed through the eyes of scientists, photographers, rescuers, and fishermen – we bear witness to their struggle and bring hope for their survival.
This powerful documentary is directed by award-winning filmmaker, Nadine Pequeneza. It features a remarkable group of marine biologists, whale rescuers, crab fishers and wildlife photographers, including Charles ‘Stormy’ Mayo, Moira Brown, Kim Davies, Martin Noel, Nick Hawkins, Barbara Zoodsma. The film has already been awarded the “Best Canadian Feature” at the 2021’s Planet in Focus International Environmental Film Festival.
“We are delighted to share Last of the Right Whales with the Shediac community,” says Nadine Pequeneza. “We want people to be able to experience this movie on the big screen with an audience, so they can gain not only a good understanding of the challenges facing this species but also become involved in supporting viable solutions to protect right whales and other marine mammals.”
The film is being shown in English with French subtitles and there will be a bilingual post-film Q&A discussion with the audience featuring Stephane Ferron, a New Brunswick snow crab fisher, Troy LeBlanc, a nearby lobsterman, and Tonya Wimmer, marine mammal biologist and Executive Director of Marine Animal Response. Opening remarks and moderation by Matt Abbott, Fundy Baykeeper and Marine Conservation Director, Conservation Council of New Brunswick.
‘The up close and personal footage of these rare whales, often mothers with calves, elicits awe’ Boston Globe
‘An important story of hope, impact and action” Deadline
“Beautiful and harrowing’ Screenfish
GENRE: Documentary, 92 minutes
Media Contact(s):
Joanne Jackson, Executive Producer, joanne@hitplayproductions.ca 416-801-1118
Jon MacNeill, Communications Director, Conservation Council of New Brunswick, jon.macneill@conservationcouncil.ca 506-458-8747
This screening event is presented by HitPlay Productions in partnership with the Conservation Council of New Brunswick.
Twitter, Instagram: @LastRightWhales
Facebook, TikTok: @HitPlay Productions Hashtag: #LOTRW
ABOUT HITPLAY PRODUCTIONS
HitPlay Productions produces critically acclaimed, award-winning feature documentaries and limited series. Its films have been shot around the world and range in subject matter from disaster response to justice reform, impact investing, and wildlife conservation.
ABOUT CONSERVATION COUNCIL OF NEW BRUNSWICK
Established in 1969, the Conservation Council of New Brunswick has remained the province’s leading public advocate for environmental protection. A member of the UN’s Global 500 Roll of Honour, we work to find practical solutions to help families and citizens, educators, governments and businesses protect the air we breathe, the water we drink, the precious marine ecosystem and the land, including the forest, that support us.
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In Fall 2021, a year-long impact campaign was launched across North America in collaboration with the film’s outreach partners: International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), The Pew Charitable Trusts, Sierra Club Canada Foundation, Canadian Wildlife Federation, Canadian Whale Institute and Oceans North. The campaign supports three main goals for the protection of North Atlantic right whales (NARW): reducing entanglements, preventing vessel strikes, and increasing public awareness about this critically endangered species. Learn more about this initiative and how you can participate here.