What an amazing night for A Sea Change! We couldn’t have askedfor a more appropriate venue, one floor beneath the Smithsonian’s newlyunveiled Sant Ocean Hall, with an introduction by coral expert Dr. NancyKnowlton, who holds the Sant Chair in Marine Science at the museum.
The room was overflowing with what was rumored to have been thebiggest crowd ever seen at the DC Environmental Film Festival, or atthe Baird Auditorium for that matter. We packed the 550-seat theaterand had to turn away many more at the door. (Apologies to all whocouldn’t get in; the festival has promised an encore screening).Filmmakers Barbara Ettinger and Sven Huseby received a standing ovationfollowing the screening.
The bulk of the enthusiastic audience stayed on for the panel, which was moderated by Brad Warren, advocate for the sustainable fishing industry.The panel included such luminaries as NOAA Assistant Administrator Dr.Richard Spinrad, David Rockefeller Jr., Co-Founder of Sailors for the Sea,and one of the star scientists from our film, ocean acidification expert Dr. Richard Feely of NOAA and the University of Washington. In the audience were Dr. Jane Lubchenco (confirmed five days later as the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere, hence NOAA Adminstrator) and Dr. Roger Payne of Ocean Alliance, known for his discovery that humpback whales sing.
