MY HERO HOSTS WORLD OCEANS DAY CELEBRATION AT RIVIAN SOUTH COAST THEATER

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Wendy Milette
Director - MY HERO International Film Festival
[email protected]

MY HERO WORLD OCEANS DAY CELEBRATION AT RIVIAN SOUTH COAST THEATER

JUNE 11, 2024 – LAGUNA BEACH, CA – The Rivian South Coast Theater was packed Saturday evening, to celebrate World Oceans Day. The MY HERO Project hosted the event, which featured short ocean-themed films, music and speakers.

The program began with a selection of short films from the “Laguna Eco Heroes” documentary, funded by Massen Greene Foundation. The films highlight the work of Laguna Bluebelt, The Pacific Marine Mammal Center, One World One Ocean, the Kelp Lady - Nancy Caruso, Eco Warrior James Pribram and Wyland.

Mike Beanan addresses the crowd at MY HERO's World Oceans Day CelebrationMY HERO 

Speakers from local organizations gave updates on their efforts to protect our coastline. Mike Beanan, of Laguna Bluebelt, spoke of their efforts to expand Laguna's Marine Protected Areas. Nancy Caruso, founder of Get Inspired Inc,  acknowledged the collective efforts that had helped bring a healthy environment for fish to thrive off of Laguna's Ocean waters. Ed Alonzo, of Laguna Ocean Foundation, spoke about the organization’s work protecting tide pools and efforts needed to clean up water from polluted creeks that feed into our oceans.  

"The Kelp Lady" Nancy CarusoDouglas Miller 

Paddleboard photographer Rich German, founder of Project O, received a local hero award for his efforts to use photography, and his love of the ocean, to inspire future environmental activists by bringing inner city youth to Laguna to experience the magic of the ocean. 

A highlight of the program was a live performance by Laguna local Whitney Winefordner of her original song “My Blue Heart,” a beautiful musical tribute to Dr. Sylvia Earle. With her brother Ian on keyboards, Winefordner sang in front of a stunning backdrop of ocean footage, courtesy of MacGillivray Freeman Films.

Wendy Milette, Director of The MY HERO International Film Festival, announded the winners of the 2024 Sylvia Earle Ocean Conservation Award. The annual award is named for renowned oceanographer and marine biologist Dr. Sylvia Earle and is sponsored by MacGillivray Freeman Education Foundation’s One World One Ocean campaign. Barbara and Greg MacGillivray were on hand to share in the festivities and Barbara spoke about their desire to highlight, through this award, the work of individuals who are making a positive difference.

Wendy Milette (L) with Barbara MacGillivayDouglas Miller 

The two winning films were screened. Artist Max Romey’s short documentary "If You Give a Beach a Bottle," shows the efforts of a group in Alaska, working to clean up tons of ocean debris in the water near a remote shoreline.

Still image from "If You Give a Beach a Bottle"Max Romey 

The student winner was "Spear. Spatula. Submarine," directed by USC student Shannon Morrall. Her documentary focuses on the efforts of passionate Florida residents who are battling the predatory lionfish, an invasive species that is destroying sea life in their local waters.

Still image from "Spear. Spatula. Submarine"Shannon Morrall 

Brandon Eric Strathmann earned an Honorable Mention for “Save Our Seaweed, Main Rockweed Forest at Risk.” The animated short was created for the Center for Ecological Teaching and Learning, an educational, research, and conservation center in Maine.

Brandon Eric Strathmann of “Save Our Seaweed, Main Rockweed Forest at Risk"Douglas Miller 

Previous winner Dana Frankel flew in from San Francisco to participate in the screening of her film “Voice Over Water,” which features an 80-year-old Indonesian man who uses his kayak to retrieve plastic from the ocean. All winning films can be viewed on The MY HERO Project website.

Speakers at MY HERO's World Oceans Day celebrationDouglas Miller 

Jeanne Meyers, cofounder and director of MY HERO, acknowledged Wendy Milette, for her outstanding work producing The MY HERO International Festival for the last 20 years. “MY HERO began as an idea for a TV series, 30 years ago, from my home in Laguna Beach. To see the accomplishments of our local and global heroes on the beautiful screen at the Rivian as part of MY HERO World Ocean Day Celebration was a dream come true. We hope to have an opportunity to continue to program here and invite everyone to explore the library of short films we host online on MY HERO.”

Submissions are now being accepted for other Special Awards and Best of Fest, for The MY HERO International Film Festival. The final deadline is September 1, 2024.