‘Fathom’, an immersive and captivating documentary feature film will premiere exclusively on Apple TV+ on June 25. It depicts a journey of two scientific researchers who try to uncover a culture of communication, in the ocean, among Humpback Whales.
The two researchers behind ‘Fathom’, Dr. Michelle Fournet and Dr. Ellen Garland, undertake a parallel journey in the opposite hemispheres to study how whales evolved 40 million years ago and built relationships in the dark.
Dr. Michelle Fournet, a marine ecologist, studies what drives the acoustic communication among the North Pacific humpback whales in Glacier Bay National Park, southeast Alaska, seeking insights into their community structure and ecosystem health.
Dr. Ellen Garland, a Senior Research Fellow from St Andrews, focuses on analysing vocal sequences of whales in central and eastern South Pacific, to find out any similarity in vocal displays and understand their cultural transmission.
The aim is to engage in a dialogue with the humpback whales, first of any such experiment, by starting a conversation with them.
They seek to unravel the mystery behind the songs of the whales, which is a very complex and tedious task given they have to survey 30 whales within a period of only a month.
Their quest to seek answers about these wondrous creatures, older than humankind, is one of dedication and deep understanding as they listen and interpret the calls from whales, just like any alien calls from a satellite in the outer space.
The documentary encapsulates the highs and lows of their exciting experiences studying whales giving “a glimpse into the future of our culture of how we can connect differently a million years from now”.
‘Fathom’ is directed and photographed by Drew Xanthopoulos (The Sensitives) and has been produced under several Emmy Award winners/nominees including Megan Gilbride (Tower fame), Andrea Meditch (Grizzly Man), Jessica Harrop (Follow This), Greg Boustead (Fireball: Visitors from Darker Worlds) and Josh Braun (Wild Wild Country).
The documentary that will form a part of the main line-up of 2021 Tribeca Film Festival at New York City, is a visual and aural treat for those interested in discovering and deciphering the mysteries of world around us.
Watch the trailer for ‘Fathom’:
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