Sunrise Coast Pure Michigan Byway

Take a deep dive into our underwater worlds during an evening of freshwater and ocean storytelling. Join acclaimed filmmakers Jennifer Idol and Alex Rose for a special screening of four short films from their Protected Waters series. Together, you will explore underwater sanctuaries, vibrant aquatic ecosystems, and the science shaping their future.

The screening features films that have premiered at previous Thunder Bay International Film Festivals, including Acid Trip, which highlights vital conservation work right here in the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary. The evening will wrap up with an interactive Q & A session, giving you the chance to chat directly with the filmmakers about their adventures and the marine life they document.

Film Descriptions:

Protected Waters: Acid Trip explores how rising acidity is reshaping both freshwater and marine ecosystems. Filmed in partnership with scientists in Florida and Michigan, the short film blends underwater imagery with on-site research to reveal how acidification affects coral reefs, mangroves, seagrasses, and Great Lakes habitats. Through personal field experiences and expert insight, the film shows how changes in water chemistry ripple across entire food webs. Protected Waters: Acid Trip invites viewers to understand what is at stake and why protecting our waters has never mattered more.

Protected Waters: Exploring Laguna Madre takes the viewer on an adventure in the world’s largest hypersaline lagoon, the Laguna Madre in south Texas. The film shares glimpses into this diverse ecosystem and the important life it supports such as the critically endangered Kemp’s Ridley sea turtle.

Protected Waters: Exploring La Jolla dives into protected waters along the west coast. The long-term conservation of marine resources and services for ecosystems depends on these designated areas. This film digs into some of the shark science surrounding this geographically unique area outside San Diego and brings in local experts on leopard sharks and critically endangered tope sharks. La Jolla is a known destination for biodiversity that includes the revered California sea lion, bizarre mola mola, critically endangered giant sea bass, and prehistoric shovelnose guitarfish.

Protected Waters: Exploring Yellowstone takes you to the world’s first national park which inspired the creation of 60 more parks in the United States and hundreds of parks in more than 100 countries. From geysers and hot springs to glacial lakes, water has defined the park and filled it with some of the strangest lifeforms. Alex Rose and Jennifer Idol dive beneath the waters of Yellowstone Lake to see unusual and lesser known geothermal features and the strange life they support.