“Oceans,” from Academy Award nominees Jacques Perrin and Jacques Cluzaud of “Winged Migration,” comes an amazing documentary that takes the viewer into the depths of the world oceans where no human has ever gone before.

The film, shot on location in the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, Arctic and Antarctic Oceans, to name a few, made by Disney Nature Films portrays stunningly beautiful underwater mysteries while relating the compelling story of how fragile life for marine animals has become.

Debby Kinder, Executive Director of Blue Ocean Film Festival and founder of Make a Difference Media, accompanied the film to the 4th Dominican Republic Global Film Festival (DRGFF).

“Oceans,” four years in the making, showed at the National Theater to group of school children who, Kinder said were amazingly enthusiastic and interested.

“The reaction of the kids was amazing. They were totally engaged, concerned and they asked the right questions such as ‘how can we make a difference?’ and ‘how do we stop big corporations from exploiting our oceans?’”

Ms. Kinder said she discussed at length some of the problems facing the oceans and specifically facing the beaches in the Dominican Republic.

“Plastics are a real problem, not just here in the DR but everywhere,” said the California-based environmentalist. “They are pervasive in all areas of our lives. We are seeing an overwhelming abundance of plastic in the ocean, among the marine life and tangled with the plant life as well as along the beaches. Our own very bodies, internally, are affecting by plastic.”

“Dominican school children, from what I saw, are fully aware of how important tourism is to their economy and therefore how important it is to preserve their marvelous natural resources,” said Kinder.

She noted that the high school students are award that their own future well-being is wrapped up in the preservation of their resources but especially the ocean and beaches.

In keeping with the slogan of the 4th Dominican Republic Global Film Festival’s slogan “Global Issues, Personal Stories,” Kinder and the children came up with another slogan: “Save the oceans, save the planet, save ourselves.” 

See more photos on our Photo Gallery under National Theater - Film Oceans, Nov. 17 >