The Right Whale.
The Right Whale is an intimate and visually stunning documentary that follows the 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.
Filmed over 7 years, The Right Whale features dramatic original footage of rare whale behavior. For the first time scientists witness a mother simultaneously nursing two calves in Australian waters. Intimate moments between mothers and their young, including a suckling rare white calf, are seen along Argentina’s coast.
Southern right whales are one of the greatest conservation success stories of the last century, however their Northern cousins face mounting threats from ship strikes, entanglement, and industrial noise. 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.
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Nick DeanDirectorWitness Is a Whale
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Cheryl Holmen DeanDirectorWitness Is a Whale
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Mark FletcherWriter
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Nick DeanWriter
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Cheryl Holmen DeanWriter
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Nick DeanProducer
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Cheryl Holmen DeanProducer
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Barnaby TaylorScore
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Project Type:Documentary
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Genres:Conservation, Wildlife, Whales, Underwater
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Runtime:53 minutes 59 seconds
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Completion Date:May 1, 2025
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Production Budget:500,000 USD
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Country of Origin:United States
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Country of Filming:Argentina, Australia, Canada, Iceland, New Zealand, United States
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Language:English
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Film Color:Color
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First-time Filmmaker:No
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Student Project:No
Distribution Information
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Albatross World SalesRights: All Rights
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.