This short film follows Anna, a British marine biologist living on Vancouver Island (Canada), involved in a conservation project with indigenous communities. She is preparing for an observation mission with Sea Shepherd in Baja California, in the hope of finding the last vaquitas. The film is in post-production. Here are a few stills from the upcoming trailer
Anna Hall - The Observer - short documentary by Alicia Chanavat - Tumi Valdimarsson - With the collaboration of Sea Shepherd
How Vaquita: The Observer was born
Our documentary journey began when Alicia met Dr. Anna Hall marine zoologist on Vancouver Island in July 2023. Anna’s deep commitment to marine conservation and her collaboration with Indigenous communities left a her profound impression.
A month later, while on assignment in Iceland, Alicia crossed paths with Icelandic filmmaker Tumi Bjartur Valdimarsson, founder of an environmentally focused film studio based in Reykjavík. The connection was immediate. Both shared a passion for the ocean and a sense of urgency about the threats it faces. Inspired by Anna’s work, they began envisioning a documentary together.
In their early calls with Anna, a pressing and heartbreaking topic emerged: the vaquita porpoise: the most endangered marine mammal on Earth, with fewer than 10 individuals believed to be alive. Anna shared that she had been invited to join an international expedition in the Sea of Cortez, where scientists and conservationists were preparing to search for remaining vaquitas and observe efforts to protect them.
With commitment and care, we assembled a team to document this rare and urgent mission. What began as an interest in Anna’s educational and scientific work evolved into a poignant and high-stakes story about extinction, resilience, and the people bridging science and tradition to protect life in the ocean.
