After his fateful encounter with a shark five years ago at the J-Bay Open, pro-surfer Mick Fanning did what no one else would do: he sought one out again. Pursuing a better understanding of “sharks versus people”, Fanning has revealed the first full-length trailer for his documentary, Save This Shark. Working with THIS. Film Studio and National Geographic, the doco offers two parts that follow our mission to co-exist with the ocean’s predators.
“It was a really personal journey for me to be able to reconnect with sharks in this way”, Fanning explained. “They’re such magical, majestic and misunderstood creatures, so I’m excited to share my experience on screen, to show just how important they are to the environment and what it takes to protect them”.
Fanning’s encounter in South Africa in 2015 was suspected to be with a great white shark, although there has been ambiguity around the details. Fanning punched the shark and attempted to wedge his board between the shark and his body. There have been marine biologists who assert that the shark may not have intended to bite Fanning, though the International Shark Attack File did declare the interaction an attack.
From his hometown of Ballina to the Bahamas, Fanning tags in leading experts including renowned shark conservationist Cristina Zenato. Zenato is known for her work with Caribbean Reef sharks. She is the founder of People of the Water, a non-profit organisation designed to widen the conduction and distribution of training, education, research and studies relating to water, oceans and environmental issues.
The team behind Save This Shark sees AACTA winning filmmaker and producer Michael Lawrence and award-winning filmmaker Taylor Steele join forces. It follows on from THIS. Studio’s 2019 Save This Rhino documentary, representing a new entry into a series shining a light on conservation. It will air on National Geographic Australia on 15 September, 2020.
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