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The Right Whale

The Right Whale is an intimate and visually stunning documentary that follows the dramatic lives of right whales across the globe—from the icy waters of New Zealand and Argentina to the busy coastlines of North America. Through groundbreaking science and emotional storytelling, we meet individual whales like Bill, who swims from New Zealand to Antarctica and back, and Ruffian, rescued from deadly fishing gear.

While Southern right whales show signs of recovery, their Northern cousins face mounting threats from ship strikes, entanglement, and industrial noise. Filmed in collaboration with scientists, The Right Whale is both a celebration of resilience and a powerful call to action—revealing the intelligence, grace, and vulnerability of these magnificent creatures, and the urgent need to protect them.

  • Nick Dean
    Director
    The Witness Is a Whale
  • Cheryl Holmén Dean
    Director
    The Witness Is a Whale
  • Mark Fletcher
    Writer
  • Nick Dean
    Writer
  • Cheryl Holmén Dean
    Writer
  • Cheryl Holmén Dean
    Producer
    The Witness Is a Whale
  • Nick Dean
    Producer
    The Witness Is a Whale
  • Mark Fletcher
    Editor
  • Barnaby Taylor
    Score
  • Wounded Buffalo
    Sound
  • Project Type:
    Documentary
  • Genres:
    Wildlife, conservation, Underwater, Whales
  • Runtime:
    52 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    May 2, 2025
  • Production Budget:
    850,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States, Argentina, Australia, Canada, Iceland, New Zealand
  • Language:
    English
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Distribution Information
  • Albatross World Sales
    Distributor
    Country: Worldwide
    Rights: All Rights
Director Biography - Nick Dean, Cheryl Holmén Dean

Nick and Cheryl formed their documentary production company, Spindrift Images in 2015. They explore the science behind the issues to bring nuanced and compelling stories to light. Their films are shot through a lens of wonder and awe, celebrating the natural world, with biodiversity conservation and wilderness preservation as underlying values that shape their films.

Nick completed a PhD in the UK and then moved to the US where he spent 25 years in a successful scientific career, publishing more than 100 research articles before beginning filmmaking. He has been filming underwater wildlife and capturing the stories of people whose lives intersect with the ocean for the last 20 years.

Cheryl has been effectively communicating scientific discoveries to lay audiences at scientific research organizations throughout her career. She has been filming underwater since 2010. Cheryl has served as the president of the San Diego Undersea Film Exhibition since 2015 and is a past board member of the San Diego Underwater Photographic Society.

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