The Fleet Science Center presents Turtle Odyssey
A new giant screen documentary narrated by Academy Award-Winner Russell Crowe
June 20, 2019
Opening in the Heikoff Giant Dome Theater on Friday, July 5, 2019.
San Diego, CA--The heartwarming story of one tiny sea turtle's big adventure will be making a splash at the Fleet Science Center in the new giant screen documentary adventure, Turtle Odyssey. Narrated by Academy Award-winning actor Russell Crowe,Turtle Odyssey premieres in the Heikoff Giant Dome Theater on Friday, July 5, 2019.
Based in Australia, Turtle Odyssey explores the unique lifecycle of an Australian green sea turtle named Bunji and her incredible journey across the open ocean. The film follows Bunji from a hatchling into adulthood as she swims thousands of miles, meets incredible creatures and has some really wild encounters. She will eventually migrate, with mysterious precision, back to the very beach where she was born-to lay her own eggs that are the foundation of the next generation.
Sea turtles are some of the most majestic and ancient creatures on Earth. For over 100 million years, they have traversed the seas, surviving multiple mass extinctions and playing critical roles in maintaining healthy marine food webs. Not only do these friendly animals captivate us as they peacefully glide through the ocean, but their personal journeys of survival are equally fascinating.
There are only half as many turtles in the ocean now than there were a hundred years ago, and the biggest threat to their survival is not life in the wild, but in sharing their world with humans. Sea turtles remind us just how interconnected we all are in this amazing world and audiences will be moved to cherish them even more.
"A primary theme of Turtle Odyssey is conservation, especially of the natural habitats of endangered species," said Steve Snyder, President and CEO of the Fleet Science Center. "We hope that our visitors will all leave the film with a renewed appreciation of the wonders of nature and the importance of preserving them."
Generously sponsored and presented locally by The Shiley Foundation, Turtle Odyssey opens at the Fleet Science Center on July 5, 2019.
Turtle Odyssey is available for public screenings, school and group reservations or private screenings. For school or group reservations, please contact the Client Services Department at (619) 238-1233 ext. 806 or ClientServices@rhfleet.org.
Those who would like to arrange a private screening of the film are welcome to contact the Special Events Department at (619) 685-5729 or SpecialEvents@rhfleet.org.
Tickets for public screenings are on sale now at the Fleet's ticket counter and at www.fleetscience.org.
###
Media Interviews
To schedule a special press screening of Turtle Odysseyor an interview with a representative from the film or the Fleet Science Center, please contact Fleet Science Center Communications Manager Karla Nafarrate at (619) 685-5743 or knafarrate@rhfleet.org.
The Fleet is pleased to have Turtle Odyssey's Director of Photography, Jon Shaw, available for interview on Monday and Tuesday, July 1 and 2.
Jon Shaw
Two time AACTA awarding-winning and Emmy-nominated cinematographer Jon Shaw, founder of ginclearfilm, specializes in underwater cinematography and has had a passion for the ocean and environment from an early age. From his beginnings as a marine biologist and commercial diver, Jon has developed an enviable career, traveling the world to film astonishing wildlife both above and below the ocean's surface.
Jon is passionate about arresting the perils that face the ongoing sustainability of the world's oceans. "Coral bleaching, dwindling shark numbers and the outcome of today's overuse and disposal of plastics in our environment are issues I witness repeatedly through my work. I want to be able to take those issues to the people through film," he said.
Jon's love for using the most advanced filming technology allows the audience a real-life glance into the environments he captures on film.
###
You're invited to the premiere!
Members of the media are invited to the Fleet Science Center to celebrate the premiere of our new film, Turtle Odyssey, on Tuesday, July 2, from 6:30 to 9 p.m. We will have a reception from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., with the premiere screening of the film beginning at 7:30 p.m. and a dessert reception immediately after the film at 8:30 p.m. Refreshments will be served during both receptions.
If you and a guest would like to attend the premiere party for Turtle Odyssey, please RSVP via the Eventbrite link below. Space is limited. Please RSVP by Thursday, June 27.
###
Additional Links
For more information on the Turtle Odyssey and the current film schedule, please visit: www.fleetscience.org/shows/turtle-odyssey
Press photos are available here:
###
About Definition Films
Definition Films is a Sydney-based production facility at Fox Studios, in the heart of the bustling Australian Film and Television Industry. Founded in 2004 by Managing Director David Gross, Definition specialises in producing exceptionally high quality imagery for the IMAX, Dome, and Giant Screen Industry. Definition Films aims to produce films that inspire, educate, and transport the audience into rarely seen environments both on land, in the air, and underwater. As we continue to work with talented technical and creative minds, our Australian base remains a constant source of some of the most remote, unseen, and unrivalled locations on the planet.
###
About the Fleet Science Center:
The Fleet Science Center connects people of all ages to the possibilities and power of science to create a better future. At the science center, you can explore and investigate more than 100 interactive exhibits that pique your curiosity and become immersed in an IMAX film adventure that shows the wonders of the planet--and beyond--in the Eugene Heikoff and Marilyn Jacobs Heikoff Giant Dome Theater. For young science enthusiasts, the Fleet offers science workshops both at the Fleet and at schools throughout San Diego County. For adults, we offer events like Suds & Science and Two Scientists Walk Into a Bar™ at locations all over San Diego. We support communities by leveraging science resources to meet local needs. Teachers are encouraged to join our Teacher Partner Program and take advantage of our professional development opportunities. Additionally, at the Fleet Science Center, visitors will find unique educational toys and games, books, IMAX DVDs and more in the North Star Science Store, and pizzas, sandwiches, salads and healthy treats in our Craveology cafe. Located in Balboa Park, at 1875 El Prado, two blocks south of the San Diego Zoo on Park Blvd., the Fleet is San Diego's science center. Science starts here and opens a world of possibility. For information regarding current admission prices, visit our website at fleetscience.org.
About Balboa Park:
Located near downtown San Diego, Balboa Park is the largest urbancultural park in the United States. First established by the City of San Diego in 1868, it is also one of the oldest city parks in the nation and is the most visited single destination in San Diego. Its 1,200 acres include 17 museums, many gardens and attractions, the San Diego Zoo, miles of hiking trails, and multiple athletic complexes to explore and discover. For more information, visit balboapark.org.
