Coral Reef Adventure brings the beauty and mystery of the coral reef environment to the big screen with a film that both celebrates this vital ecosystem and warns of its imminent decline. The film follows the personal journey of two under-water filmmakers, Howard and Michele Hall, on a 10-month expedition across the South Pacific to explore and document some of the world’s most beautiful and endangered coral reefs. Coral reefs may become extinct within 30 years due to global warming, over-fishing and pollution, scientists warn. Coral Reef Adventure is both an emotional account of two extraordinary individuals doing what they can to help save the coral reefs, and an exciting story of drama and adventure. One of the most riveting sequences occurs when Howard Hall takes the IMAX camera down 370 feet to film a deep ocean reef, setting a record for the deepest a diver has taken an IMAX camera in the open ocean.
Major funding provided by the National Science Foundation
Produced and distributed by MacGillivray Freeman Films in association with National Wildlife Federation, Museum of Science, Boston, and Lowell, Blake and Associates
In promotional partnership with Quicksliver, SCUBAPRO, Smithsonian Magazine, and ADI/Sport Diver Magazine
Narrated by Liam Neeson
Featuring songs and music recorded by Crosby, Stills & Nash
Educational outreach support provided by NOAA and Reef Check
Runtime: 46 minutes
Format: filmed in 15 perforation/70 mm, 8/70, 10/70, Dome-customized 15/70
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Living Mirrors: A Coral Reef Adventure is a breathtaking book that guides us into the secrets of the reef: gemlike crystals, rainbow colors, a wild profusion of fish and marine animals, deep blue pools that yield their treasures here as nowhere before. Accompanies an award-winning IMAX film. By Jack Stephens, Afterword by E.O. Wilson. Contributions by Jean-Michel Cousteau, Howard and Michele Hall, Richard Pyle, and others.
Honors and Reviews
“Both an ethereal manifestation of spectacular beauty and the sobering account of a slow-motion catastrophe…This is a moving and not infrequently breathtaking film. ★★★★ (out of 4)”
– San Diego Union Tribune
“With its deep blue undersea vistas, vivid but delicate corals, and swiftly flashing schools of fish, Coral Reef Adventure is one beautiful piece of work. But this is beauty with a point. The filmmakers don’t just want to share their passion for the reef; they want to share their fear for its future. On both counts, they succeed. . . Adventure it is, and of the most exhilarating sort.”
– Boston Globe
“Coral Reef Adventure is the first IMAX movie to challenge the supremacy of Everest…”
– Atlanta Journal-Constitution
“virtually transforms the five-story Omnimax into a giant fishbowl…the underwater scenes are amazing, demonstrating the use of the Omnimax format at its best.”
– Cincinnati Post
- Best Film of the Year and Best Cinematography – 2003 Giant Screen Theater Association Achievement Awards
- Best Large Format Film, Merit Awards for Sound Mix, Conservation Message and Graphics & Animation – 2004 International Wildlife Film Festival
- CINE Masters Series Award (Best in the Non-Telecast Division) and CINE Golden Eagle Award (Science & Technology category)
- Best of Festival (Grand Prix) and First Place Gold Camera Award (Oceanography category) – U.S. International Film & Video Festival
- GoldWordMedal – New York Festivals
- Bronze Plaque – Chris Awards, Columbus International Film & Video Festival
- Nominated for a Panda Award – 2004 Wildscreen Film Festival, Bristol, England
- 2004 Environmentalist of the Year Award – presented to Greg MacGillivray by SIMA (Surf Industry Manufacturers Association)
- 2006 Award of Excellence – presented to Greg MacGillivray by the Aquarium of the Pacific, Long Beach, CA, for his support of coral reef conservation
- Official Selection – 2008 Environmental Film Festival, Washington DC
- The highest grossing new documentary film of 2003
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