MANITOWOC (NBC 26) — The Wisconsin Shipwreck Coast International Film Festival brought audiences to Manitowoc.
- The festival brought their audience 8 fillms from around the world
- The Shipwreck Coast aims to draw awareness and excitement to their sanctuary as well as maritime efforts globally
- The goal is to make the film festival an annual event
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)
From the Arctic to Canada, the first ever Shipwreck Coast International Film Festival brings us underwater scenes from around the world and brings excited viewers to Manitowoc.
"The great lakes are connected to the rest of the world,” said Wisconsin Shipwreck Coast superintendent Russ Green.
The Shipwreck Coast is 962 square mile marine preservation sanctuary just off the coast of Lake Michigan featuring 36 historical shipwreck sites.
"This is maybe the first year we thought really ready to do this,” Green said.
After a few years of work, the Shipwreck Coast presented the international film festival to local audiences.
"This was an opportunity to bring together the community, show some great films and increase awareness for this incredible resource that was of course the Great Lakes,” says Green.
Eight films produced by documentarians around the world creating awareness and excitement for waters everywhere, including right here.
"Lake Michigan is our grand canyon,” said Bill Burton
Burton is from Sheboygan but made the trip up to support the Shipwreck Coast and their goal.
"Anything that gets people to the lake, on the lake, under the lake, I think is a great thing,” Burton said.
From the kelp fields in the Pacific to the manatees in Florida, the underwater world came to life in Manitowoc.
"Preservation doesn't just take a village, it takes every village,” Burton said. “Everyone has got to be behind it."
Green says that the goal is to continue this film festival every year and that this is just one opportunity that the Shipwreck Coast brings.
