Chasing Coral Film Review
Chasing Coral (2017: 1+33 min) was partly inspired by the documentary film Chasing Ice, after it was discovered that a situation was happening below the surface of the world’s oceans that was just as dramatic as what was being witnessed by receding glaciers globally. The film was beautifully shot in HD and captures for the first time on film how rising ocean temperature is killing off huge portions of coral reefs at an unprecedented rate.
Chasing Coral is available now (Streaming on Netflix).
“The captured images of coral using fluorescent pigments as a sunscreen in attempts to prevent coral bleaching makes the Chasing Coral film worth more than a monthly subscription to Netflix.” — Ken Burridge
About Coral:
Corals were thought to be plants or hypothetically hybrid plant-animals, since the time of Aristotle until William Herschel (famous Astronomer) used a microscope (not a telescope) to establish that coral had the same characteristic thin cell membranes of animals.
The film helps make it clear that Corals are the builders of unique environments not unlike rainforests that are themselves entire and unique ecosystems. Coral reefs are important because they provide: income, food and protection for millions of people worldwide. About two decades ago it was estimated that 20% of the worlds coral reefs had been destroyed, 24% were in imminent danger and 26% were under longer term danger or collapse (Wilkinson, 2004). Since that time the threat to coral reefs has accelerated. About 60% of the world’s reefs are at risk due to human-related activities, 80% of the reefs in Southeast Asia are endangered, and HALF of the world’s coral reefs could be destroyed by 2030.
On the positive side many environmental laws have been passed in various countries to protect coral reefs, but the threat to coral reefs is a global rather than a regional issue.
Firm Awards:
Chasing Coral won several awards at various Film Festivals including: Best Feature Documentary, Best Call to Action Award, Audience Documentary Award and a Peoples Choice Award for best Feature Length Film. Chasing Coral was also nominated and/or placed 2nd at various Film Festivals: Sundance Film Festival, Boulder International Film Festival, and the Sheffield International Documentary Festival etc.
Personally I give Chasing Coral 5 out of 5 stars for unique educational value, 4 1/2 stars for Visual Aesthetics (as there was one member on my team of viewers that had a hard time getting over the length of some nostril hair on one of the scientists being interviewed), however, all the underwater shots easily deserve a 5 star rating. I also give Chasing Coral 5 stars in the Inspiring Personal Action Category for Environmental as well as Global Warming & Climate Change Activism. The film strikes a good balance between: Education and Entertainment (there were some funny moments). Chasing Coral also provides hope that there is still time to take action.
With luck the film might enlighten some of the less hard core climate change deniers once they can see with their own eyes what is happening to coral reefs in various places around the world: Florida Keys, Hawaii, Bahamas and the Great Barrier Reef in Australia etc.
Green-Eco-EV News Reporting by Ken Green Burridge
Kenneth Burridge test-drives electric Nissan LEAF in Melbourne Australia
EV of the Year Judge, independent green journalist, photographer, author and sustainability activist that has published over 1000 articles. Mr Burridge’s travels have taken him to over 40 countries and 300+ major cities. He is originally from the USA, but has been residing in Australia for the last seven years. Connect to Ken Burridge on: Twitter, facebook, Google+, Linked in or website
