Pacific Whale Foundation to host 8th annual World Whale Film Festival fundraiser

Select movies from the Pacific Whale Foundation’s 8th annual World Whale Film Festival fundraiser will be presented June 6 at the Ocean Organic Farm & Distillery, according to an announcement.

The fundraiser will support the foundation’s programs to protect marine animals while participants enjoy inspiring films featuring the beauty of the undersea world, indigenous ecological knowledge and the community of Maui.

The foundation was established on Maui in 1980 with the mission to protect the ocean through science and advocacy while inspiring environmental stewardship.

VIP tickets to the June 6 fundraiser at the Ocean Organic Farm are on sale, with dinner and cocktails included in the ticket price.

Also, for a donation of $25 to PWF, contributors can watch a selection of 13 films online from June 8 (World Ocean Day) to July 31 at pacificwhale.org/filmfest.

The festival features films from around the globe, including New Zealand, Patagonia, France, El Salvador and more. “The Salmon People’s Struggle to Survive” is a documentary that brings to light the cultural, spiritual and historical significance of salmon to the Muckleshoot people through stunning videography, firsthand accounts and select archival footage.

“Blue Whales: Return of the Giants” will be shown in-person only at the June 6 event. See vivid imagery of these gentle giants who were once on the verge of extinction on the big screen. Learn how they communicate with each other across vast distances and how they are vital to the health of our oceans. What the expedition reveals will astonish you. Narrated by award-winning actor Andy Serkis (Lord of the Rings, Star Wars), with a powerful score by Academy-Award winner Steven Price (Gravity).

Also featured are films made on Maui that dive into community impacts, efforts and potential solutions surrounding the August Maui wildfires.