Drew Brice-Ford – Last Ocean, Last Chance

Drew Brice-Ford has made a film that was a finalist at the Last Ocean Online Short Film Competition. The awards ceremony took place in Christchurch on Thursday 15 September as part of Conservation Week. Entrants were asked to produce a short film exploring “Why the Ross Sea, Antarctica is special”, and were given online access to over 70 clips from top New Zealand cameraman Peter Young and acclaimed NHNZ Moving Images.  “We were looking for compelling short films highlighting the values of the Ross Sea and why it is worth protecting,” said Peter Young, who shot footage on a voyage to Antarctica in 2007. Young is currently working on a feature documentary, “The Last Ocean”, to raise awareness about the Ross Sea.

The completed films were uploaded to YouTube and posted into an online screening room (http://lastoceanscreeningroom.co.nz/) for viewing by the public and a panel of three screen-industry judges: documentary maker Alison Ballance, actor Peter Elliott, and TV2 television host Erin Simpson. The judges were impressed with the calibre and diversity of entries. Ballance said of the entries: “What a great collection of films! Really diverse, and interesting. It was a pleasure to watch them, and difficult to judge them.”

The Last Ocean Charitable Trust advocates for the protection of the Ross Sea, Antarctica, identified by scientists as one of the most pristine pieces of ocean left on Earth. Once only the realm of intrepid scientists and explorers, the region is now under threat from a commercial fishing fleet including New Zealand interests. The Trust hopes that the short film competition will foster interest and understanding of the pressures facing the Ross Sea.

Drew’s film is called “Last Ocean, Last Chance” and can be viewed here.