Film featuring Cayman waters set for global premiere

Cayman’s turquoise blue waters, the majestic world beneath their surface and the mounting challenges they face will take centre stage as the third instalment of the ‘One Planet Insights’ docuseries, which premieres online on Friday.

The new chapter in the series, entitled ‘Our Global Ocean: The Planet’s Blue Heart’, will debut at 10am Cayman time on the YouTube page of the Cayman Islands Government Office UK.

Cayman Islands UK and Europe representative Tasha Ebanks-Garcia, speaking with the Cayman Compass via Zoom Tuesday, said excitement is building for the new feature-length film, which was done in partnership with the Department of Environment and produced by Bryant Media.

She said the latest instalment in the ‘One Planet Insights’ docuseries not only explores the wonders of the ocean but “this compelling film delves into the challenges our blue planet faces”.

“We recognise that the Cayman Islands are a global leader in marine stewardship and protection. Over 90% of the UK’s biodiversity sits in its overseas territories and, as an overseas territory, we have a huge responsibility to protect the natural environment in the Cayman Islands. So this film does a couple of things. It celebrates the wonders and resilience of the ocean while addressing the urgent need to protect it,” she said.

‘One Planet Insights’ was launched in 2022 as part of London Climate Action Week and “has explored topics ranging from the Cayman Islands’ contribution to climate change mitigation to conservation success stories, including that of the remarkable blue iguana – endemic to the Cayman Islands”, a government statement on the premiere said.

The new film, which also features footage from the Guy Harvey Foundation, focuses on the ocean’s critical environmental role and the climate change challenges now being experienced in Cayman’s waters.

Ebanks-Garcia said the film tried not to focus on the “doom and gloom”, even though it highlights climate change impacts.

“I think there’s a lot of messages out there around climate change that really shares a kind of message that’s hopeless, and what we wanted to do was create a film that was filled with hope,” she said.

The film, she said, tells the important story about the existential threat of climate change and the impact that that has for the Cayman Islands and for the species that call our waters home. At the same time, however, she said it celebrates and showcases the work that been done over decades in the Cayman Islands to protect the natural environment.

“It also ties into our maritime history, who we are as a people and our connection to the ocean as people, as Caymanians. I really just encourage people to watch. I think it’s very watchable while at the same time being educational,” she added.

The Cayman Islands has been recognised as a global leader in marine protection with its first marine protected areas designated almost 40 years ago, and “today, over half of the country’s nearshore coastal waters are protected through an enhanced protected area network,” the statement on the premiere said.

“Efforts to safeguard species like the Nassau grouper and sea turtles have been recognised internationally,” it added.

Last week, the series premiered at a private showing in London, which Ebanks-Garcia said was well received.

She said discussions are ongoing to host a similar events in the new year to launch the series in Cayman.

Ebanks-Garcia encouraged everybody to watch the film when it premieres online.