The 2019 World Whale Film Festival takes place this Friday, February 8 at Historic Iao Theater in Wailuku, HI. Tickets are $10 in advance or $15 at the door. Friends in the field of conservation will join us in Kipuka Square (just outside of the theater) to share some information and resources beginning at 5 PM, with our film program running from 6 - 9 PM.

Featuring work and appearances by shark conservationist Madison Stewart, the Kipahulu Ohana, big wave surfer Paige Alms, world champion windsurfer Sarah Hauser, Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary’s Ed Lyman, Maui Huliau Foundation student Taylor Redman, our very own Selket Kaufman and more, the event will be emceed by Kimi Werner.

Click on an image below to learn more about each. 

Maui Whale Festival offers a way to share a communal voice in support of ocean protection and conservation, with ready-to-use solutions offered by its filmmakers. Guests will enjoy access to film project and eco partner booths, a special 20% discount at HI Thai Food Truck, and a chance to bid on artwork at the silent auction before the films begin at 6pm. Film Fest partners, Wai Bar, will host a private Après Film Social beginning at 9 PM where guests can continue the conversation and mingle with the filmmakers.

Selket Kaufman, filmmaker and wife of the late Greg Kaufman, will be showing an exclusive preview of her film, A Voice for Whales. She describes it as “an inspirational story on our interconnectedness and the delicate relationship we have with the natural world. The main focus is about Greg’s conviction to stand up for those who have no voice against injustice. His unique vision fueled the creation of a mission into an organization that has become Pacific Whale Foundation.”

Online ticket sales close at 2 PM on Friday, after which time you are welcome to pay at the door. 

With a mission to protect the ocean through science and advocacy, and to inspire environmental stewardship, Pacific Whale Foundation (PWF) conducts Research, Education and Conservation programs for the communities in which it serves. Founded by Greg Kaufman in 1980 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to saving the world’s whales from extinction, PWF now operates a social enterprise that offers fee-based programs and services through PacWhale Eco-Adventures to help fund its nonprofit work. Combined with memberships, donations, charitable grants and a remarkable group of dedicated volunteers, PWF now reaches more than 400,000 individuals each year through its Maui and Australia offices and research projects in Ecuador and Chile.