Bencito directed and produced the film, which addresses the problem of a Pacific Ocean garbage gyre and ocean conservation. The film takes a humorous and optimistic approach to educating viewers about solving ocean-pollution problems, focusing especially on the enormous problem with the accumulation of garbage and plastic debris due to circulating currents in the Pacific Ocean.
Juarez, Gomez and Littleford star in the film, which will be screened as one of the top-10 student films in the international contest.
Twelve senior students from St. Anthony High School’s Marine Science Academy, working in teams of four, participated in the project overall. The teams researched current global issues with marine ecosystems and produced films to create awareness of their chosen topics. These topics included threats to coral, harmful unintended by-catch of fishing industries and the growing Pacific Garbage Patch Gyre. Ultimately, one team emerged as a finalist in the film competition.
Every year, SFIOFF hosts a festival of worldwide films that are largely unavailable to the general public. Themes range from marine science and industry to sports and adventure. The films are intended to entertain, educate and encourage active participation in ocean conservation. Students from different countries are invited to submit their films for judging in the student film competition.
“Our students are excited that their passion for cleaning up the ocean can be communicated in a public forum,” said Tom Nestojko, teacher and moderator of the SAHS Marine Science Academy. “Their project embraces our St. Anthony High School Saints’ expected school-wide learning results by showing that they are students who are technologically prepared— they used school-provided Apple iPads and a MacBook to film and edit their project— and socially conscious— they took action to show awareness and responsibility in addressing a global issue.”
St. Anthony High School’s Marine Science Academy is in its eighth year as a model program in partnership with the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach. Each week, St. Anthony students travel to the Aquarium, where they receive training as part of their marine science curriculum. Over the last seven years, 100 percent of these students have gone on to attend four-year colleges or universities, and 80 percent are majoring in science or science-related fields, according to St. Anthony.
Source: St. Anthony
