The Fundy Film Society

Saving Luna

In their debut feature-length documentary, filmmakers Suzanne Chisolm and Michael Parfit follow Luna, a baby killer whale that was separated from its pod at birth. Combining great sen sitivity and an open-minded approach, the remarkable Saving Luna helps to expand understanding of the effects one stray creature can have both on an ecosystem and a small fishing community, while at the same time showcasing the gentle na ture of this wonderful creature.

When Luna makes his way to Nootka Sound off the coast of Vancouver Island, he initially bonds with some of the towns people in an almost familial way. However, after an early positive response, Luna begins to make some of the locals a bit wary. The fishermen begin to see Luna as an annoyance for eating some of their catch, and the government considers him to be a nuisance on many levels. The conservationists, how ever, quickly come to his aid to protect him from his adversar ies and help raise awareness for this lost creature. As the debate rages, the scale of the story expands, starting locally and growing into a global event.

Thanks to the filmmakers’ honed sensibilities, this heart warming look at the struggle between man and the environment effectively creates a relationship between viewer and the mammalian protagonist of the film. It becomes difficult not to sympathize with the plight of this creature – and the many other creatures who find themselves at the mercy of forces greater than the natural world they understand. Stunning underwater cinematography gives this film a unique perspective and will leave viewers with smiles on their face and a belief that the world can, in fact, be a better place.