'Ocean' is David Attenborough's greatest, most personal account yet: team behind Nat Geo documentary

The Print

08-06-2025

For directors Keith Scholey, Colin Butfield, and Toby Nowlan, and executive producer Enric Sala, one thing is clear — the documentary wouldn't exist without the 99-year-old legend.
The National Geographic film, described by the team as Attenborough's most personal yet, explores the story of the ocean through the lens of a man whose life has paralleled the rise of marine science.
New Delhi, Jun 7 (PTI) Veteran British broadcaster David Attenborough is the world's most trusted storyteller, bringing not only passion and truth but also a rare personal connection to everything he touches — something that is evident in his latest documentary, 'Ocean with David Attenborough', say the filmmakers behind the project.
'Without David, there's no film. There's no two ways about it. This is a challenging subject which has to happen. David has always told people the truth and he has universal trust.
'To have a person of his stature to be able to tell this story, it is so important to get it funded in the first place, and then get it on cinema screens, and then to the world,' Scholey told PTI in an interview.
The documentary special, which explores diverse and vital marine ecosystems, highlighting their connection to preventing climate disaster and the threats posed by harmful fishing practices, will premiere on National Geographic and stream on JioHotstar at 7 pm on Sunday on World Oceans Day.
As a broadcaster, Scholey said Attenborough possesses the quality of creating a passionate narration, and delivering it in an effective way that reaches the audience.
'Thank heavens we've got him, because otherwise, we couldn't make films like this, we just could not reach so many people, so he is a great gift,' said Scholey, who has been collaborating and working with the British legend consistently for the past 40 years.
Butfield, who besides co-directing the documentary also wrote the book 'Ocean: Earth's Last Wilderness' with Attenborough, believes the British broadcaster's life closely mirrors the ocean's journey of exploration and discovery.
'He's (Attenborough) had such a long life, he's seen so much of the natural world… When he was a boy, we knew very little, and then as he started to dive and film and travel, we gradually uncovered more and more.
'Also the large-scale destruction of the ocean started to happen in his lifetime, and it's happening off the coast of the country he, Keith and I live in (the UK) as well as many other parts of the world. And then the recovery has happened during his lifetime in certain places. So he's got that phenomenal span of it,' he added.
Nowlan, who has worked on BBC's 'A Perfect Planet', and Emmy-winning series 'Planet Earth II' and 'Our Planet', all with Attenborough, added that he brings not only authority but also unwavering enthusiasm to his work.
'Even at 99 years old, when he narrates something, when he lends himself to something, he says it with such presence and passion. It's as if someone's just seen it for the first time. When David says something, it's never about the David Attenborough show. It's all about the subject, and this subject is the ocean. It's his greatest message yet, the most important story he's ever told,' he said.
And for Sala, a marine biologist and National Geographic explorer-in-residence, Attenborough is the 'opposite of fake news'.
'David was extremely passionate about this project and this idea that after 100 years, he's come to this big conclusion that there's nowhere more important on Earth than the ocean. And so that lent himself to being very personally involved in everything in the film. It's very unique and might be the most personal account from David on screen,' he added.
According to the makers, 'Ocean with David Attenborough' features never-before-seen footage of bottom trawling, the act of dragging weighted fishing nets along the Ocean floor, exposing its severe impact on the ocean.
While Attenborough highlights these urgent threats in the documentary, he also shares inspiring global stories, showing that if the world acts now, marine life can recover faster than expected.
Scholey said climate change in the 1990s was widely dismissed by many.
'I just remember then, just talking about climate change, everyone sort of said, 'Oh, it's all made up.' And, of course, no one would dream of saying that now,' he said.
Butfield said the film is timely as many countries worldwide are seriously considering how to protect their coastlines.
'You can really show it at a moment when the global political infrastructure is starting to think, 'Yeah, maybe there's a win-win here.' Maybe by protecting the ocean, we get more jobs, better livelihoods, food security, we also help tackle climate change.
'It's good for us, nature, climate, and it felt like it's the right optimistic story coming at the right moment,' he added.
Sala believes ocean recovery is possible because many protected areas worldwide have already shown miraculous signs of healing and replenishing themselves.
'Many countries have done it. India is one of the countries that agreed to protect at least 30 per cent of the ocean by 2030, (it) still has a long way to go, but the commitment is there. So, we believe it's possible because it's already happening in many places around the world,' he said.
Nowlan agreed and said the biggest takeaway from the documentary is its message of hope.
'This is not fake hope. This is real, tangible hope that if we protect big slices of ocean, a third of the ocean, then they fill up with life again very quickly and in the most spectacular way, more than anyone had realised was possible, and quicker than people had realised, and it fills the surrounding areas,' he added.
'Ocean with David Attenborough' is a Silverback Films and Open Planet Studios co-production. PTI BK RB RB
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