WHALE LISTENERS / Work in Progress —

In storytelling, it is sometimes animals that guide narrative. My work functions in this age-old mode, here with the goal of doing justice to a true story taken from my own experiences with the beluga. In 2018, while filming underwater in the Hudson Bay, I was protected by a group of belugas from a threatening polar bear. This experience deeply touched me, and I interpreted it as a gesture of empathy and goodwill from a community of beings from who have much to teach us about solidarity. This personal story became the catalyst for a much broader reflection that is at the root of several current projects, including WHALE LISTENERS. In this film, the alarming situation of the beluga is presented to viewers through a group of children, siblings running a pirate radio station who are also joined by sentries, scientists, sailors, artists and thinkers, all with the common goal of showcasing the beluga’s song. Focusing on the power of listening, WHALE LISTENERSis a 75-minute creative documentary bringing together a plethora of visions that breathe resilience, love and empathy into the project.