“Superstar Seagrass” follows the current hype surrounding seagrass over the next three years.
Is seagrass really the climate saviour or is it just a hype? Can seagrass provide us with an alternative to conventional and limited resources such as oil? Or does seagrass need to be completely protected?
In the film we look for solutions, visions, ideas, sometimes critical, but always with a focus on the positive. We present these ideas and visions in a poetic and visually powerful film, following projects and people, some of whom have dedicated their lives to seagrass.
The film will be a mixture of a classic nature film with beautiful animal shots and reports about people who are committed to seagrass, work with it or conduct research.
Topics that we shed light on:
- Seagrass meadow habitat, Biological basis
- Threats and nature conservation,
- Utilisation, potential and resulting conflicts
- Historical illumination, grass of the gods
- Conservation research, reforestation, breeding
- Seagrass CO2 certificates
Locations & Protagonists
Kiel on the Baltic Sea with Germany’s most renowned marine research institute, GEOMAR. With the
Baltic Materials”, a start-up that wants to take off with seagrass as a raw material, and Kristian Dittmann, “Mister Seagrass”, who warns against seeing seagrass as a miracle cure and that excessive industrial use is only possible by exploiting nature.
On the Côte d’Azur, the municipality of Ramatuelle is investing millions in protecting the seagrass on the world-famous Pampelonne beach in order to build buoy fields for luxury yachts. With the G.I.S. Posidonie, which researches and reforests the Posidonia seagrass species and is home to the oldest terrestrial and marine national park in Europe, with gigantic seagrass meadows.
Ibiza & Formentera, home to Europe’s largest and oldest seagrass meadow and its insatiable party and music tourism, where Coco Francavilla uses her music to raise awareness of seagrass conservation.
In Cádiz, where Michelin-starred chef Ángel León incorporates seagrass seeds into his cuisine at his restau- rant ‘Aponiente’ and cultivates the Zostera marina seagrass species in his own research laboratory, some- thing no one has managed to do before. And in Greece, where Manuel Marinelli plants seagrass with his research vessel.
But the main setting and protagonist is the seagrass meadow habitat, with all its inhabitants and peculiar- ities. Seagrass is a flowering plant that migrated back to the sea millions of years ago and is an essential habitat for many animals.
The main setting and protagonist is of course the seagrass meadow habitat, with all its inhabitants and special features. Seagrass is a flowering plant that migrated back into the sea millions of years ago and is an indispensable habitat for many animals.
Motivation
The directing team consists of Sabrina Inderbitzi, a diver and underwater filmmaker, and Felix Hulliger, a deep-sea sailor. The sea and its inhabitants are very close to both of our hearts. Especially in the Mediterranean, where we do a lot of sailing, life would not be possible without seaweed.
With this film, we want to shed light on different aspects, let voices be heard, question current practices, leave room for new ideas and visions and encourage reflection. We accompany projects over a longer period of time to find out whether the desired goals in terms of nature conservation and economic viability can be achieved. We portray people who are committed to seagrass, some of whom dedicate their entire lives to the protection of seagrass or implement projects with complete conviction. We accompany these people on their journey with the camera. This is to be realised in the form of a reportage on location in order to be as close as possible.
In the film, we are looking for solutions, visions and ideas, sometimes critically but always with a focus on the positive. We want to encourage the viewer and inspire them to get involved where they can make a difference themselves. We dedicate a poetic, visually strong film to these ideas and visions.
