IMAX Film, including Jean-Michel Cousteau, applauded for outreach effort

SANTA BARBARA, CA.: Jean-Michel Cousteau and his Ocean Futures Society has added its praise for the IMAX MacGillivray Freeman Film “Coral Reef Adventure” and its “success in educating children and raising public awareness among key policymakers throughout North America.”

“Coral Reef Adventure” was the highest attended giant screen film in 2003, and was honored by the Giant Screen Theater Association as “Best Film of 2003” and “Best Large Format Film” by the International Wildlife Film Festival. More than four million people have viewed the film since its debut in February 2003.

Cousteau, who appeared in the film exploring the coral reefs off the island of Gau with local Fijian children, said the film’s “strong message about preserving our endangered coral reefs around the world is being rewarded with great popularity and deserved acclaim.”

The internationally acclaimed ocean explorer knows firsthand the impact of the film. He made personal appearances at screenings of the film in the U.S. and Canada, speaking to sellout audiences and interacting with schoolchildren.

“'Coral Reef Adventure' has captivated audiences’ attention with its dazzling beauty of all forms of life among coral reefs and its warning that this is a habitat is threatened for all generations to come,” Cousteau said.

Cousteau, founder of Ocean Futures Society, said he is particularly proud that the film has made efforts to reach underserved audiences of children and families who might not otherwise be able to see the IMAX documentary. Among some of the outreach highlights:

• 600 students from Charlotte, N.C. low income schools saw a presentation of the film, as did 638 low income and African American students in Cincinnati, OH. and 300 in Cleveland, OH.
• A contingent of low income and minority members of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Ft. Lauderdale, FL. attended a showing of the film.
• A theater in San Diego, CA. invited Native American community groups and African American children participating in an after school science program.

“We need global solutions to protecting and preserving our planet’s coral reefs,” Cousteau said. “Educating every segment of our society is critical, and this film continues to reach many children without barriers to income or geography.”

Cousteau also said the film has played an important role in coral reef conservation efforts before the U.S. Congress with screenings, sponsored by the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and other groups, to the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force. Attended by many key congressional figures, the events highlighted the importance of enacting legislation that protects the world’s oceans and seeks sustainable management of the nation’s marine resources.

“Shaping public policy at the highest levels is one of our mutual goals,” Cousteau said. “This film is one more tool we can all use to raise awareness and inspire true leadership.”

The mission of Cousteau’s Ocean Futures Society is to explore the global ocean, inspiring and educating people throughout the world to act responsibly for its protection, documenting the critical connection between humanity and nature, and celebrating the ocean’s vital importance to the survival of all life on our planet. Ocean Futures Society is based in Santa Barbara, CA., USA with an office in Paris. For more information about the endeavors of Cousteau and OFS, visit our website at www.oceanfutures.org.

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