Love story with a message

Arnold Schwarzenegger is in Cannes this week, presenting a film he narrated and co-produced at the 70th Cannes Film Festival, aiming to inspire the world to "fall in love with the ocean", as a means of saving it.

Written by Jeni Bone
Photography by Wonders of the Sea in 3D

22 May 2017

Former action-hero and California Governor, turned environmental activist, Arnold Schwarzenegger is in Cannes, France this week for a career-first, presenting a documentary he has narrated, titled Wonders Of The Sea 3D at the 70th Cannes Film Festival.

Directed by Jean-Michel Cousteau and Jean-Jacques Mantello, the superb film was produced by Francois Mantello and Schwarzenegger with the aim of inspiring the world with a passion to preserve and protect the underwater world.

He said the movie’s positive message worked much better than “the shaming, guilt and finger pointing” that Schwarzenegger believes puts people off environmentalism.

“You can’t just tell people all the time that they shouldn’t fly, or drive a big car or have a Jacuzzi,” he said during the Cannes media call.

“If you want people to change you got to make people feel good about it. When you see this film you will inevitably fall in love with the ocean.”

Arnold Schwarzenegger with Jean Michel Cousteau.

Bimini hammerheads.

Diving during filming.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXDwota4MTQ&t=5s

The team hopes Schwarzenegger will do for marine conservation what Saturday Night Fever did for disco dancing and his own film, Pumping Iron did for gym memberships!

Jean-Jacques Mantello and Jean-Michel Cousteau explained the purpose behind their picture. “I’ve been diving for 72 years since my father pushed me overboard as a kid,” said Cousteau. “I can see things on a screen that I could never see with the naked eye when I go diving. Thanks to the equipment, we’re able to focus in slow motion on tiny little creatures, and you see their behavior.”

Arnie stated he brought his full vocal range to the film and he is “not just reading off a script”.

“Really drawing in the people and acting enthusiastically about the whole thing, then you draw them in and they really get entertained.”

wonders-of-the-sea