Thunder Bay International Film Festival On the Road at the Alcona County Library - Harrisville Branch
Join the Friends of Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary at the Harrisville branch of the Alcona Public Library for an evening of ocean and Great Lakes films! In this cozy, community-centered setting, enjoy a carefully curated selection of films that highlight diverse voices and powerful stories from around the world.
NOAA's Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary hosts the Thunder Bay International Film Festival in partnership with the International Ocean Film Festival, the premier global platform for ocean literacy and education through independent film.
Featured Films:
Stories from the Blue: Saving Koholā , ONMS (USA), 14 min
Saving Koholā offers a rare and intimate look at the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary team who monitors and disentangles humpback whales that migrate to these waters to mate and give birth. Entanglement in marine debris remains a major global threat to marine mammals, often leading to injury, starvation, or death. This film documents the high-stakes work of responding to these incidents, from tracking, approaching, and disentangling whales from dangerous debris. Come along as we follow the response team to capture the urgency, precision, and passion that define this critical conservation work. The film raises public awareness about marine mammal entanglement while honoring the deep cultural and ecological connection Native Hawaiians hold with these migratory giants.
Defend the Deep, Liz Rubin & Richard Charter (USA) 23 min
Filmmakers Liz Rubin and Richard Charter bring us stunning images of deep sea creatures while making compelling reasons to preserve our ocean floors and deep sea ecosystems by halting the new extractive industry practice of deep seabed mining. Ecological and spiritual connections with the deep ocean are highlighted, as well as offering viable solutions to the perceived need to mine rare metals.
Battle of the Blues, Adam Ryokichi Ernster (USA) 26 min
Viewers are taken alongside the majestic blue whales of Southern California. Through breathtaking visuals and compelling storytelling, the film celebrates their awe-inspiring beauty and immense size while examining their troubled history and ongoing challenges. The resilience of these gentle giants and the urgent need for their conservation is highlighted during their seasonal migration and feeding in the crowded Santa Barbara Channel.
Deep Look: A Coral is Born, Rosa Tuiran (USA) 6 min
When the moon, sun and ocean temperatures all align, an underwater “snowstorm” occurs, lasting barely a half hour. Corals put on a massive spawning spectacle by sending a blizzard of tiny white spheres floating up the water column all at once. Corals reproduce by broadcast spawning & cloning. Researchers are trying to replicate this in the lab because climate change and resulting rise of sea temperature are causing reefs to die off.
Caleb - Beyond the Bite, Nicola Gerrard (South Africa) 7 min
Years after having lost his leg to a shark, Caleb confronts his disability, his vulnerability, and his fears, and explores his paradoxically deepening connection with the ocean– and with sharks. Now he must choose between a self-image as victim, or survivor. In swimming among them, he experiences a paradigm shift, recognizing his place in the world.
How Science and Tradition are Saving Sturgeon, Great Lakes Now (USA) 11 min
By 2000, only a few dozen lake sturgeon were still spawning in Michigan’s Big Manistee River. The Little River Band of Ottawa Indians wanted to help, but standard scientific practices of the time violated many of the Tribe’s cultural values. To help the fish, the Tribe would have to devise an entirely new way of raising nmé.
Date & Time
Thu, Jan 22, 2026 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Venue Details
Alcona County Library - Harrisville Branch
312 West Main Street Harrisville, Michigan 48740
Friends of Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary
Established in 2010 by local community leaders, the Friends of TBNMS is a nonprofit 501(c)3. Its founders envisioned the significant opportunity the sanctuary offered for protecting our Great Lakes and their rich maritime history, hands-on educational experiences for area students, and local economic development. Today, that vision has become a reality with the Friends of TBNMS sharing a close working relationship with the sanctuary staff, playing a critical role in funding the sanctuary’s education programs, community outreach efforts, unique museum experiences, and research.
