Bernadette Giacomazzo
For many years, the Cousteau family has dedicated themselves to ocean conservation and education. Beginning with legendary patriarch Jacques Cousteau, a former French naval officer-turned-documentarian, the Cousteau legacy continues with the efforts of his son, Jean-Michel, and his children, Celine and Fabian, who share their legendary father and grandfather’s love of the sea.
“You protect what you love,” is the theme echoed throughout Wonders of the Sea, a one-night-only event presented by Fathom Events on January 17, 2019, that featured some of the most visually stunning, and aesthetically captivating, images that could possibly be rendered on camera.
But the film — which was narrated by action star and former California governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger — had a deeper message, one that the Cousteaus hoped to convey throughout the film: even the smallest, unintentional act can upset the delicate balance between marine life and land life. What’s more, without the ocean, we as humans cannot survive.
For example, in Wonders of the Sea, we learned that the lionfish — which is native to the Indo-Pacific — was accidentally released into the Atlantic. And, because it has no natural predators in the Atlantic, its population has exploded to the point of detriment to the other sea life in the area. And it’s now considered an invasive species.
The Cousteaus concluded Wonders of the Sea with a call-to-action. It’s imperative, they say, to put the politicians’ feet to the fire, and demand that they make responsible decisions about the future of sea life.
It is, they say, the future of all of us on the planet. And, like the true Cousteaus that they are, they love both the sea — and the Earth and its inhabitants — so much that they’re willing to protect what they love most.
