Ocean Film Fest 2008

Interview by Linda Hunter

Film maker Jordan Plotsky
Credit: Plotsky

Please join us at the San Francisco Ocean Film Festival at the Cowell Theatre on February 1-3. The festival features more than four-dozen documentary and animated films from around the world—deep dives into marine science, coastal cultures, ocean exploration and saltwater sports.

Our Executive Director, Linda Hunter, sat down recently with Ocean Film Festival contributor, Jordan Plotsky, to talk about his film, Titans of the Coral Sea. Exquisitely filmed, this film chronicles the Papua New Guinean Titan people, an ancient society of subsistence fishermen who have fished their reef for 40,000 years. Now they face a dilemma: join the global economy, or preserve their fishery and their way of life.

LH: Jordon, I loved your film – the setting is stunning, the people of Papua New Guinea inspiring and the film offers hope to marine fish advocates the world over about the fate of our oceans. How did you learn about and connect with the Titan community?

JP: It was a cold winter day in July of 2005, and I went to see a presentation by a marine biologist at the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand. Dr. Richard Hamilton spoke about the research and conservation work he and others were doing in Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. Their work on marine protected areas, fish populations and sustainability was something that I was interested in exploring with film. Hamilton and I spoke after his presentation, one thing led to another, and pretty soon I was on my way to Papua New Guinea.

LH: Were there any particular members of this community who inspired the film or made an impression on you personally?

JP: I have a great respect for the entire community. They were gracious and generous hosts who welcomed me into their homes and helped make this film possible. In particular, the efforts of Manuai Matawai were inspiring. Manuai initiated the research and conservation efforts in his community. This story is his story, and it’s largely because of his efforts that the conservation there is as successful as it is. It’s also because of his assistance and support that I was able to make this film. He drove our team around, fished for our sustenance, and was my inspiration.

 LH: I was moved by the unabashed democracy of the Titans. What was it like to live among the Titans?

JP: Yes, I was inspired by how the entire village was involved in the decision making process. The villages are very remote—no toilets or vehicles, and no electricity—people used kerosene lamps or candles. There are no roads – simply dirt paths connecting one village to the next. We basically lived on Manuai’s boat – a 30-foot outrigger.  Many of the villagers are musicians and at night music fills the air. The sum of those jam sessions became the soundtrack for my film.

LH: Tell us about the monitoring project to count the reef fish. Who came up with the idea to monitor? Do the counts continue?

JP: Manuai, working with the Nature Conservancy, and his team set transects on the coral reef and regularly count fish. They continue to monitor the fish populations and are seeing the fish numbers increase dramatically in the areas where fishing restrictions have been placed. The data collected supports the anecdotal observances of fishermen.

LH: What lessons can we learn from your film?

JP: One of the most important questions this film asks is “what happens when a community’s needs are greater than what the environment can sustainably support”. This is a critical question and it’s relevant on a global scale. The Titan people are answering this question with foresight, action, and sacrifice. It was inspiring to witness and it’s a model to follow. The current implementation of the Marine Life Protection Act in California should be inspired by the success of this community on the other side of the world. Living with the Titans in such a remote place really made me think about our own rampant materialism and the cost our ocean and planet pay to support a cash economy.

LH: When did you decide to become a filmmaker and what long and windy road led you to film the goings-on of an ocean community so far from your native Bay Area shore?

JP: My interest in filmmaking comes from an insatiable curiosity about the world. One of the things I enjoy about filmmaking is that each project opens up a new world and I’m grateful that it’s taken me to many amazing places.

LH: Thanks Jordan, for sharing your insights with our Upwelling community. See you at the film festival!

 

If you would like to see Titans of the Coral Sea and meet Jordon, come to the San Francisco Saturday from February 2nd at 4:00 pm.