Product Description

For filmmaker Rob Stewart, exploring sharks began as an underwater adventure. What it turned into was a beautiful and dangerous life journey into the balance of life on earth. Driven by passion fed from a life-long fascination with sharks, Stewart debunks historical stereotypes and media depictions of sharks as bloodthirsty, man-eating monsters and reveals the reality of sharks as pillars in the evolution of the seas. Filmed in visually stunning, high definition video, Sharkwater takes you into the most shark rich waters of the world, exposing the exploitation and corruption surrounding the world's shark populations. Stewart's remarkable journey of courage and determination changes from a mission to save the world's sharks, into a fight for his life, and that of humankind.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #19074 in DVD
• Brand: Warner Brothers
• Released on: 2008-04-08
• Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Aspect ratio: 1.66:1
• Formats: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English, French
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: 1.00 pounds
• Running time: 90 minutes

Features

• For filmmaker Rob Stewart, exploring sharks began as an underwater adventure. What it turned into was a beautiful and dangerous life journey into the balance of life on earth. Driven by passion fed from a life-long fascination with sharks, Stewart debunks historical stereotypes and media depictions of sharks as bloodthirsty, man-eating monsters and reveals the reality of sharks as pillars in the e

Amazon.com
One of mankind's greatest fears--the shark--is convincingly cast in a sympathetic light by the award-winning documentary Sharkwater. Wildlife photographer-turned-filmmaker Rob Stewart is the driving force behind the film, and if his on-camera presence occasionally tilts towards self-aggrandizement, it's countered by the breathtaking quality of his footage of sharks and his compassionate argument for their protection. Stewart's coverage of the sharkfin trade is equally compelling, and scenes of wholesale slaughter of sharks for their fins (a delicacy and alleged medicine in Asian countries) are likely to disturb. Viewers may be split on Stewart's hands-on approach to combating the practice, which includes taking on pirates and police, but his intentions are honorable and do much to bring this alarming situation to light. The DVD includes a '60s-era Navy training film about sharks, which is amusing until one realizes how much its fearful tone has been echoed through decades, as well as a making-of featurette and theatrical trailer. --Paul Gaita

Customer Reviews

Say NO to Shark fin soup !
This is one thing you will certainly come away with after watching the film.

As a scuba diver, sharks are what you want to see, especially the whale shark, but they are generally so shy they will certainly keep their distance.

The film sees Rob Stewart explore the `Darwin's theory of evolution' Galapagos islands and Costa Rica. Rob is a professional underwater photographer and videographer so the images he captures while gliding through the depths are stunning. That is until they turn to the finning operations, the corruption and images of sharks caught in a long lines where you can but ponder `what is humanity doing'.

This film really gives you a wake up call to the importance of the oceans and the sharks place at top of the food chain to keep everything balanced.

The books emphasis goes more on the role of the Sea Shepherd, the ocean's eco systems and gives you a chance to look again at the gracefulness of the shark.

A must watch/read.

Sharkwater: The Photographs

Incredible
A stunning and remarkable documentary film about the illegal fishing of sharks for the Asian food market that is both riveting and beautiful to watch. The film documents director Rob Stewart's discovery and determination in letting the public know about the plight of sharks being killed off. The High Def imagery/cinematography is simply incredible and I'm sure the Bluray disc will look equally impressive as when I saw it on the AFI' Silver Theatre DLP system in March of 2006. The film is essential in educating all about the misconceptions and slaughter of sharks, it is both enlightening and ultimately heartbreaking - highly recommended!

Absolutely Essential Viewing!
I was fortunate enough to be in Canada last year when this amazing film was being shown at a university theatre. Having won over twenty international film awards and garnered much critical acclaim, it's shocking how little exposure and theatrical play this film has had in the US. Regardless, this is easily one of the very best documentaries I've seen.

I was taken off-guard by how little I really knew about sharks aside from the terrible misconceptions so many of us have been fed since childhood. Rob Stewart does a magnificent job of thoroughly dismantling the caricature of sharks as ferocious monsters deserving of our fear and hatred, instead capturing the gentle beauty and vital importance of these creatures to life as we know it. The frightening ordeal Stewart finds himself in while filming is worthwhile viewing in itself. You don't need to be an environmentalist to appreciate Stewart's courageous documentation of the heart-wrenching barbarity imposed upon sharks (and other aquatic life).

Watch this film with as many friends and relatives as you can. We all need to be more aware of the impact humans are having on the environment. Sharkwater is a milestone effort in raising this awareness.