Jake Fay

In the warm waters of St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, a team of scientists from Reef Response—led by Dr. Marilyn Brandt and Sonora Meiling—are racing to save the region’s coral reefs. Based out of the University of the Virgin Islands, the team outplants corals at depths ranging from 25 to 125 feet, studying where coral can thrive in the face of rising ocean temperatures and intensifying sunlight. Blending cutting-edge research with community outreach, Reef Response captures how this group is inspiring the next generation of marine biologists to protect what lies beneath.

Director Biography – Jake Fay

Jake Fay is a filmmaker from Lynn, Massachusetts, known for blending emotional depth with cinematic storytelling. He directed NEYT INC., a nine-part docuseries on one of America’s largest youth football leagues (streaming on Amazon and Tubi), and The Process, a narrative feature film now available on all major platforms.

Fay earned his MBA from the University of the Virgin Islands, where he developed a lasting connection to St. Thomas and a deep appreciation for the island’s marine science community—an influence reflected in his recent short documentary Reef Response.

His work centers community, resilience, and underrepresented voices, bringing purpose-driven stories to screens large and small.

Kaushiik Subramaniam

In a remote coastal village in Mozambique, where the ocean is both a lifeline and a force of nature, one young man dares to rewrite the narrative of his community. Peixinho is an inspiring tale of resilience and transformation, following the journey of a local hero as he bridges generations and redefines what it means to live in harmony with the sea.

Peixinho dives deep into the heart of tradition and progress. Witness how one man’s mission to teach children to swim and be safer in the water ripples through the community, saving lives and sparking hope. As he unravels the secrets of the ocean through his research, he also challenges outdated fishing practices, guiding the older generation toward sustainable solutions that honor the sea’s fragile balance.

Director Biography – Kaushiik Subramaniam

Kaush is an award-winning wildlife filmmaker and photographer based in the UK, celebrated for capturing the natural world with striking visuals and compelling narratives. With an MSc in Wildlife Conservation Biology and over a decade of field experience, Kaush brings a unique blend of scientific knowledge and creative storytelling to his work.

Specialising in underwater cinematography, Kaush has documented some of the planet’s most elusive and endangered species, from majestic whale sharks to vibrant coral ecosystems.

Beyond the camera, Kaush is passionate about mentoring aspiring storytellers through workshops and conservation initiatives.

Jasmine Sophie Inez Corbett

In Mantas of the Mexican Caribbean, discover the thrilling revelation of a potential third species of manta ray! Known as the ‘Caribbean’ manta (Mobula cf. birostris), this mysterious ray shares the deep blue with oceanic manta rays yet thrives in habitats similar to reef mantas. For over a decade, the passionate team at the Manta Caribbean Project, in collaboration with Manta Trust, has been on a relentless quest to understand these incredible creatures, unlocking their behaviours, habitats, and survival secrets.

Director Biography – Jasmine Sophie Inez Corbett

Jasmine Corbett is a media and communications specialist, conservation filmmaker, marine scientist, scuba dive instructor, and award-winning underwater photographer. With over a decade of experience in marine conservation across South and Southeast Asia, she has managed conservation projects, worked in underwater photography, and taught scuba diving.

Jasmine is passionate about making ocean conservation accessible, using her work to educate and inspire others to protect the marine environment. Through engaging content, she aims to raise awareness about the threats facing the ocean and foster a deeper connection to its preservation.

Hendrik S. Schmitt, Claudia Schmitt

Every year, hundreds of thousands of blue sharks are caught for their fins – many of them juveniles, as we were able to document during an investigative filming trip with the NGO Elasmocean to Spain.

This is the harsh reality of the shark fin trade in Europe’s largest fishing port, Vigo. The EU remains one of the biggest exporters of shark fins in the world.

Over 1 million EU citizens called for a ban on the shark fin trade. The EU listened – and did nothing.

This is still legal. This is happening. Right now. We need more pressure to hold the EU accountable. The sharks can’t wait! We need to ban the shark fin trade in the EU once and for all!

Director Biography – Hendrik S. Schmitt, Claudia Schmitt

The Jetlagged are award-winning underwater, nature and wildlife filmmakers and passionate for the protection of our ocean. While Hendrik enjoys combining his professional education as director and filmmaker with his passion for the ocean, Claudia builds on her background in media production and quickly developed into an avid underwater videographer, one of the few females in the industry.

The Jetlagged create powerful films about the underwater world from the polar circle to the equator. Confronted with the vulnerability of the ocean and eye witness to the problems our ocean is facing, they decided to become ambassadors of the underwater world. They use their cameras and skills not only to create beautiful films about their diving adventures, but also to focus on documentary films about environmental issues like pollution, climate crisis, overfishing and species extinctions – and on the ocean heroes who are dedicated to the ocean’s protection.

Over the years, The Jetlagged’s films have reached countless thrilled audiences, both online on social media platforms and on film festivals in many different countries, where all of their films have been able to win international film festival awards.

Intje Hajri

Have you ever imagined a world without fish in the ocean? Without the colorful beauty of coral reefs? This is the real threat we are facing. Rising ocean temperatures, caused by our actions, are slowly killing the heart of marine ecosystems. Coral reefs are the lifeblood of a quarter of the ocean’s inhabitants and support the livelihoods of many coastal communities. What can we do to prevent this disaster? How can our small actions today determine a brighter future for the ocean? Let’s dive deeper and find the answers.

Director Biography – Intje Hajri

Intje Hajri is a documentary filmmaker based in Luwuk, Indonesia. Her love for nature and community is reflected in her work, where she uses her skills in shooting images to tell inspiring stories and document the beauty that needs to be preserved. As a filmmaker, she has a knack for capturing important moments and weaving them into powerful visual narratives.

As a visual storyteller from Banggai, Intje Hajri has a unique perspective on the natural and cultural richness of her region. Through documentary films, she has the potential to raise issues of coastal environment, local wisdom, and stories of positive change. Her dedication to videography and documentary films not only documents reality, but also contributes to the preservation and deeper understanding of the environment and communities around her.

Prim Issaree Arunprasert

Living in burrows along the seashore, soldier crabs are tiny creatures that emerge to forage during low tide and retreat to their holes during high tide or times of danger. However, their population has significantly declined, much like the corals beneath the sea that are beginning to bleach. Environmental problems are creeping up faster than we realize, highlighting the fragility of the ecosystem and the urgent need to address these changes.

Director Biography – Prim Issaree Arunprasert

Prim Issaree Arunprasert is a producer and photographer with a strong foundation in storytelling through film and visuals. She holds a degree in Film Production from Vancouver Film School, Canada, and a Bachelor’s in Film and Digital Media from KMITL, Thailand.

Her career spans across Vancouver and Thailand, where she has worked on a diverse range of projects, including short films, documentaries, feature films, music videos, and TV commercials.

In recent years, she has developed a deep interest in environmental and climate change storytelling, using film as a medium to explore and amplify these critical topics.

Her latest work, CHRONICLE OF BLUE, showcases her skills as a director, producer, and cinematographer. The project was selected from 159 proposals for the 2024 CCCL Film Grants Program, making it one of only ten chosen projects. It also screened at the CCCL Film Festival 2025. Another notable achievement, CORDILLERA SONGS, won the Documentary Jury Award at the CCCL Film Festival 2024, where she served as director, cinematographer, and editor. Previously, her documentary LIFE CYCLE earned the Audience Award at CCCL Film Festival 2022.

Beyond film, Issaree is also an accomplished photographer. Her passion for photography enhances her storytelling approach, sharpening her creativity, patience, and adaptability—qualities that seamlessly translate into her filmmaking.

Based between Suratthani and Bangkok, Thailand, she works as a freelance producer and photographer while also running an art and craft studio, teaching batik and ceramics workshops. At the same time, she continues to push creative boundaries in filmmaking, staying deeply connected to her passion for visual storytelling.

Peter Veng-Pedersen

A tribute to the diversity of the amazing underwater creatures that evolution has created. It gives examples of this, focusing on some most amazing animals found in an amazing place, that only few know about and have the opportunity to visit.
NOTE: This documentary is specifically tailored to also reach the attention of our children so they can be motivated in participating in solving current environmental and ecological problems detrimental to the world they will grow up in.

Director Biography – Peter Veng-Pedersen

Peter Veng-Pedersen grew up in Denmark. He got his PhD in Sydney, Australia and has been on professorial faculties at University of California, Purdue and Iowa. In his spare time between his busy engagements in research and university teaching and consulting work he extensively travelled the world backpacking and SCUBA diving. With a passion for photography and videography he has documented many wildlife areas and animal behaviors above, as well as under water, He has developed digital, non-commercial guides to various parks and nature areas around the world with emphasis on protection of the natural environment and animals. At a young age he received various international awards for his underwater photography resulting from solo expeditions to the Red Sea using innovative photographic equipment components of his own design. More recently he has been attracted to the very challenging and demanding endeavor of underwater macro videography to document an incredibly beautiful world, unknown and inaccessible to many, harboring amazing animals. His continued developments and field testing of various underwater macro videography equipment component has contributed to the quality of his macro videography.

Nikolas Margaritis

Greece is known for its historic shipwrecks, the famous Greek summer, the ideal temperature, and the pristine sea waters, attracting divers from all over the world.
For us, however, this country has much more to offer. It has four seasons and about 10,000 caves, underwater and above ground, most unexplored and uncharted.
The last water frontier of our planet.
The “4 Caves – 4 Seasons” is a dive into four unique caves of the Peloponnese and film karst springs, rooms with cave themes of several meters, narrow siphons with sedimentary rocks, and well-hidden rooms untouched over the millennia. We roam from the Arcadian mountains to the spring of the ancient Inachos River through a route that reveals to us the geological history of our place in a unique way.

Director Biography – Nikolas Margaritis

Nikolas Margaritis’s journey into the depths began in 2011 when he first delved into the mesmerizing world beneath the waves. From capturing the ethereal beauty of marine life to documenting underwater landscapes with precision and artistry, his work is a testament to his dedication and talent.

With a keen eye for detail and a deep-seated commitment to environmental conservation, Nikolas has carved a niche for himself in the realm of underwater filmmaking and photography.

Nikolas’s commitment extends beyond the lens, as he actively engages in various projects aimed at preserving marine ecosystems and raising awareness about environmental issues. From ghostfishing initiatives to 3D mapping expeditions, he is at the forefront of efforts to safeguard our oceans for future generations.

In 2017, Nikolas embarked on his first underwater filming project, “Amphitrite,” laying the foundation for a burgeoning career in cinematography beneath the waves.
Currently, he is immersed in the post-production phase of his latest endeavor, “4Caves – 4Seasons: Journey into the Veins of the Earth,” a visual odyssey that promises to captivate audiences with its immersive storytelling and breathtaking imagery.

Driven by a desire to make a meaningful impact, Nikolas is actively seeking opportunities to collaborate with nonprofit organizations, leveraging his skills and experience to contribute to initiatives that promote ocean conservation and environmental stewardship.

Vasco Coelho

“23 Miles” is a documentary by Vasco Coelho that takes us on a journey through the Professor Luiz Saldanha Marine Park, a true natural treasure. Through seven conversations with people connected to the sea, including fishermen, scientists, and environmental guardians, the film reveals the incredible marine life, local traditions, and ongoing efforts to protect this unique ecosystem. It’s an inspiring journey that brings together science, culture, and nature, reminding us of the importance of caring for our ocean.

Director Biography – Vasco Coelho

Vasco Coelho is a Portuguese Photojournalist, Filmmaker, and Storyteller with a passion for exploring the unknown.
With a background in Photography and Visual Culture from IADE and currently pursuing a Master’s in Communication Sciences at Universidade Nova FCSH, Vasco combines academic excellence with a strong creative vision.
His work has been featured in prestigious Magazines such as National Geographic, and he was selected for the renowned Eddie Adams Workshop.
Vasco’s documentaries and short films have been showcased in Cinemateca Portuguesa, reflecting his growing impact in visual storytelling.
Certified as a drone pilot and diver, and a former national team athlete in Modern Pentathlon, Vasco brings discipline and a unique perspective to his craft. His mission is to inspire others to discover and connect with the unseen parts of our world.

Bingqian Gao

unWRECKed is a story of change, resilience, and creating beauty from destruction.

Blending underwater imagery with personal narrative, this artistic meditation explores the journey of transformation, and reinvention by drawing a parallel between the transformation of underwater wrecks and overcoming adversity in life.

The story is rooted in the filmmaker’s personal journey – from a traumatic corporate experience to finding peace in freediving and nature. Through the lens of water, movement and vibrant marine life, unWRECKed invites the audience to consider their connection with the nature, self, and community, and view adversity as an opportunity for reinvention and creation.

Director Biography – Bingqian Gao

Bingqian Gao is a London-based data professional, freediver, artist, and storyteller.

With a background in data science and analytics, she spent over a decade helping organisations make sense of the complexity of data – before turning her lens toward creative expression and storytelling.

She enjoys exploring the depth of the ocean on one breath, and often draws on her connection with water to express themes of creativity, authenticity, transformation and resilience in her work.

unWRECKed is Bingqian’s first film, marking the beginning of her journey into visual storytelling. Though new to filmmaking, she sees art as an evolving medium for authentic self-expression, healing, and a way to celebrate the beauty that emerges when we allow ourselves to experiment and unlearn.