Great white shark documentary free screening

A free screening of the documentary film "Island of the Great White Shark," by RTSea Productions, will be shown at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 21 in the MLK auditorium of the Santa Monica Public library. Filmmaker Richard Theiss, executive producer and cinematographer for the project, will be in attendance and will conduct a question-and-answer session after the film, as well as discuss his experiences filming great whites and other sharks.  The screening of this 45-minute film is part of an ongoing lecture series sponsored by Heal the Bay's Santa Monica Pier Aquarium.

Theiss, who four years ago joined an eco-tourism charter to Guadalupe Island and the surrounding waters to observe the great whites, became passionate about this subject and documenting the work of shark researcher Mauricio Hoyos Padilla.  The resulting film from this trip details the important role great white sharks play in a balanced ecosystem, and also focuses on the marine scientists dedicated to studying and protecting these sharks.

"These are absolutely magnificent creatures living on a razor's edge of possible extinction. And there are some very dedicated people working tirelessly to prevent that," Theiss said. "This is a story that needed to be told."

Millions of sharks, including great whites, are killed each year for their fins, as accidental catches on commercial fishing vessels and for souvenir jaws and teeth.

Admission to the screening is free, and granted on a first-come, first-served basis. The main library is located at 601 Santa Monica Blvd., with a pay parking structure available on 7th Street, north of Santa Monica Boulevard.  For directions to the library visit www.smpl.org/depts/branches/index.htm. For other information, visit www.healthebay.org/smpa or call the aquarium at (310) 393-6149.

-- Kelly Burgess

Photo: A great white shark plies waters at Guadalupe Island. Credit: Al Seib/Los Angeles Times

Comments

[El Guapo]

Time for a new photo?

[Shark Diver]

We have an entire library of white shark images going back 7 years from I.G if you need them.

Kudo's to Richard and his film. This is one of the few documentaries about the great white shark that looks beyond the hype and settles for gorgeous images and video of these animals as they are. Telling an in depth story takes time and dedication.

You have to love sharks if you are going to make a film like this one.