7:30 pm / Tuesday, February 18, 2020    ////    St John School of the Arts, Cruz Bay

St John Film Society  in collaboration with the St John Festival of the Arts  presents

SEA OF SHADOWS

104-minute documentary film
Dr Cynthia Smith director of the National Marine Mammal Foundation
will be present for Q & A following the screening.

SPECIAL LECTURE BEFORE THE SCREENING
1PM @  VIRGIN ISLAND NATIONAL PARK VISITOR CENTER

Dr. Smith will present a lecture entitled: 
Marine Mammal Conservation in the Caribbean & Beyond

FILM SYNOPSIS:

A looming disaster in one of the most spectacular environments on Earth sparks a rescue mission unlike any other in Sea of Shadows, a riveting new documentary with the intensity of a Hollywood thriller. When Mexican drug cartels and Chinese traffickers join forces to poach the rare Totoaba fish in the Sea of Cortez, their deadly methods threaten to destroy virtually all marine life in the region, including the most elusive and endangered whale species on Earth known as the Vaquita porpoise. But a team of brilliant scientists, high-tech conservationists, investigative journalists and courageous undercover agents, as well as the Mexican Navy, put their lives on the line to save the last remaining Vaquita and bring the vicious international crime syndicate to justice.

DR. CYNTHIA SMITH:

As the Executive Director for the National Marine Mammal Foundation (NMMF), Smith is charged with furthering the nonprofit’s organizational mission to improve and protect life for marine mammals by integrating exceptional care with innovative science, service, and education. Smith also serves as the Chief Medical Officer for the NMMF and continues to lead projects focused on marine mammal health and welfare. She is Program Manager for Vaquita CPR which aimed to rescue the critically endangered Vaquita porpoise from extinction

DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT:

Sea Shepherd vessels and an interceptor ship of the Mexican navy search for poaching vessels north of San Felipe – Sea of Cortez. (photo credit: National Geographic)

“My goal as a director is to try to have a lasting impact on our world by focusing on issues that threaten our natural environment.  What is happening in Mexico is yet another example of human-caused devastation due to the greed of a few. By illuminating the problem through cinematic and compelling storytelling while offering solutions and captivating heroes with a cause, I hope to help save this precious ecosystem, which is on the verge of total collapse. I believe each one of us has the ability to be part of the solution. I try to use my skills as a filmmaker to inspire audiences to never give up on our planet and help bring change toward a better and brighter future.”  – Richard Ladkani