Minderoo helps bring latest Attenborough film to the big screen with an urgent message ahead of critical UN Oceans Conference

06 May 2025 – Minderoo Foundation will this week host a series of Australian premiere events for Ocean with David Attenborough – a new documentary from the revered British broadcaster showing how the world’s oceans can thrive again if protected.

The film received major support from Minderoo Pictures – the foundation’s production company that teams up with filmmakers to drive social change – and celebrates the ocean while confronting the urgent threats of climate change, destructive fishing and mass coral reef bleaching.

The global premiere of Ocean with David Attenborough will take place at London’s Royal Festival Hall on the evening of Tuesday, 6 May. The event will be attended by Sir David himself, just two days shy of his 99th birthday, along with Dr Andrew Forrest AO and other dignitaries.

Dr Forrest, who holds a PhD in marine ecology from the University of Western Australia, said Ocean with David Attenborough would help expose the destructive practices which are destroying our ocean, and help drive urgent action to protect it before it is too late.

“I am deeply grateful to Sir David Attenborough for drawing the spotlight onto the fragility of our ocean,” Dr Forrest said. “Our oceans are the great conductor of everything and the life support system of our planet, but they are suffering.

“Human-driven threats like climate change, overfishing, and pollution are pushing marine ecosystems toward irreversible damage. We are at a tipping point and must urgently change course. I hope this film serves as a wake up call to us all. Ocean recovery is possible within a single human lifetime – but only if we act now, with courage and leadership.

“And that’s why we are bringing this powerful message to world leaders as they prepare to meet for the third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC) where critical decisions will be made that determine the fate of our oceans.”

The launch of Ocean with David Attenborough comes after Minderoo Foundation recently hosted the Indian Ocean Forum to gather perspectives from the region ahead of UNOC, to be held in Nice in June.

Leaders at UNOC will discuss ways to improve the sustainability of the world’s oceans and address threats including climate change, overfishing and pollution from plastics.

Nicola Forrest AO said Ocean with David Attenborough would harness the power of credible, impactful storytelling to inspire change at a critical time for the world’s oceans and the communities and people they sustain.

“At Minderoo Foundation we believe in the transformative power of the arts to create opportunities to better the world, and we are thrilled to support Sir David Attenborough as he launches this powerful documentary,” Nicola Forrest said.

“Long form storytelling through film speaks to us in a unique way. It has the capacity to cut through, it can create movements for change and even trigger cultural shifts. Minderoo Pictures tells stories that inspire change, and I look forward to the impact Ocean with David Attenborough will have on audiences and decision makers worldwide.”

A key focus of Ocean with David Attenborough is bottom trawling – a fishing practice that herds and captures target species, like ground fish or crabs, by towing a net along the ocean floor.

Another focus of the film is the mass bleaching event that struck coral reefs across the world in 2024, including Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, driven by climate change causing ocean temperatures to rise. Coral bleaching has spread to the World Heritage-listed Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia, an event described by Minderoo scientists as an “underwater bushfire,” with Minderoo’s Exmouth Research Laboratory closely monitoring its effects.

Minderoo CEO John Hartman said the growing slate of impact films supported by Minderoo Pictures, including Ocean with David Attenborough, were force multipliers for the foundation’s mission to forge a fair future.

“Sometimes to bring about change you have to make people see it – and Minderoo Pictures’ purpose is to bring impactful stories to the public’s attention and amplify the change Minderoo Foundation pursues, from uplifting local communities and promoting gender equality to safeguarding the natural ecosystems that connect us all,” Mr Hartman said.

“Working with Sir David Attenborough to bring this film to the screen at a time when the fate of the world’s oceans is in question is a powerful opportunity and demonstrates the commitment Minderoo Foundation has to supporting partners who can drive lasting change.”

The Australian premiere of the film will be hosted in Sydney by Minderoo Pictures and distributor Piece of Magic Entertainment on Wednesday, May 7, at the Hayden Orpheum Picture Palace in Cremorne, with a blue carpet event and a Q&A following the screening.

There will also be premiere Q&A screenings at the Luna Leederville in Perth (May 8), Cinema Nova in Melbourne (May 9) and the Randwick Ritz (May 12).

Executive Director of Minderoo Pictures Malinda Wink affirmed that the documentary demonstrates Minderoo’s commitment to supporting high impact films.

“Minderoo Pictures has invested in developing and producing over 40 screen projects highlighting urgent global social and environmental issues. Recent releases include Left Write Hook and Unbreakable: The Jelena Dokic Story which focus on gender-based violence, White Rock which draws attention to threats and conservation of the Great Southern Reef, and The Crane’s Call investigating war crimes in Ukraine,” Ms Wink said.

“We jumped at the chance to collaborate with Sir David Attenborough on a documentary exploring both challenges and opportunities for ocean recovery and protection. It’s been a rare privilege to work with one of the world’s most respected and influential figures on environment conservation, and to work with incredible impact partners around the world to amplify the impact of his message.

“Sir David’s storytelling reminds us that our survival depends on a healthy and vibrant natural world. This is film that everyone must see – from policymakers and educators to parents and their kids – and be inspired to use what power and capacity they have to protect our ocean.”