Synopsis
On Alaska’s remote St. Lawrence Island, shy teenager Agra Chris Apassingok is the best hunter in his village, but warming seas have made the whale hunt, which supplies food for his village, much tougher. When he proudly shares his first hunting accomplishment on social media, he becomes a target for online bullying that severely threatens his mental health. This is a stunning film of family, love, tradition, and self-determination, with a thrilling soundtrack by indigenous musicians.
Press
“ONE WITH THE WHALE is a heartfelt, intelligent, thought-provoking film. It shows that the biggest issue we face as humans today is not really climate change itself, but rather how we respond to the challenge it is presenting us with: Can we fix the Climate Emergency by simply creating more conflict, polarization, misunderstanding, and hatred? Or should we instead dare move out of our comfort zones, to create connections, understanding, and resilience across cultural boundaries for a common cause?” Former Economist Film critic
Director's Biography
Jim WICKENS: Over the last 15 years, Jim has established himself as a leading storytellers on the frontline of environmental conflicts. His work has been regularly screened on Channel 4 news, Animal Planet ‘ Ocean Warriors’, CNN and ITV and also in publications such as the New York Times, Guardian, Independent and Daily Mail.. A radical animal rights campaigner for many years with criminal convictions for his investigative work against commercial whaling and sealing activities, Jim now works closely with Indigenous and coastal peoples around the world fighting for recognition and environmental justice. Jim is the co-founder of Ecostorm, the world’s first undercover environmental film agency. His raw and uncompromising style of storytelling has earned him numerous awards, including the Royal Television Society Independent Filmmaker of the Year; the International Foreign Press Award; the Wincott Foundation Award for Journalism; Amnesty International and One World media awards. This is his first feature documentary.
Peter CHELKOWSKI: Pete has spent the last twenty years shooting, producing and directing long and short form content around the world. He tells stories that go beyond entertainment, that change the way people think about themselves and the world around them.
To Pete, the journey is as important as the destination and he enjoys finding powerful ways to translate those visceral, life-changing experiences to the viewer at home. A multi-award winning producer and director, his latest project, Life Below Zero-First Alaskans, airs on Nat Geo, the only non-fiction series with an all Native American cast.
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