Film revolves around Marine Mammal Center

Suzie Harrison

Rehabilitated sea lions aren’t the only things to be released by the

Pacific Marine Mammal Center these days. A film, chronicling two sea

lions from rescue to healthy status will be released at the Newport

Beach Film Festival on Saturday.

“Channel Islands Adventure,” by Rio Films, delves into the sea

lions’ world, capturing their personality, nature and the social

relationships they share with each other. Producer and director Alan

De Herrera has a close relationship with the Laguna Beach center,

which is the largest marine mammal rescue center on the West Coast.

The facility is the sponsor of the film and all proceeds will go

toward the continued help of saving the California Sea Lion and other

marine mammals.

Animal care supervisor Dean Gomersall said the partnership formed

about three years ago with the documentary.

“I have been working with sea lions for about 16 years and it’s

pretty exciting to get involved in the project,” Gomersall said.

“It’s the first of its kind.”

And, he said, a film of its kind is long overdue.

“You don’t usually get to see them in their true environment, you

see them at the circus or the zoo,” Gomersall said. “It opens your

eyes to the sea lions in their natural environment.

The film includes unique footage from the coasts of California and

Mexico, where the curious natured sea lions live, play and give birth

to their pups.

“[The documentary] shows two sea lions at the marine mammal center

that were rescued and brought in and that really, really bonded,” De

Herrera said. “It shows them playing and bonding and being released

into the ocean together.”

De Herrera said that whenever sea lions bond like that they like

to release them together.

“They are unique animals how they bond,” De Herrera said.

“Channel Islands Adventure” has incredible underwater footage De

Herrera said and was done with the tutelage of six different

researchers and is proud of the way the film came out.”

The movie can be seen at 12:30 p.m. Saturday at the Lido Theater

in Newport Beach with all funds donated to the mammal center. The

official premiere will be in Laguna Beach in June and will feature

the re-edited version with actor Sean Astin narrating the film.

For information call the film festival at (949) 253-2880 or online

at www.newportbeachfilmfest.com. or www.riofilms.com.