Dr. Vreni Häussermann
&
Huinay Foundation
Present
GIFTS OF SILVER
A film by EDDIE FROST
Dr. Vreni Häussermann & Huinay Scientific Field Station
Presents
GIFTS OF SILVER
A film by EDDIE FROST
Gifts of silver
Chilean Patagonia -“Terra Incognita”- a tangled web of fjords and channels where the harshest conditions of terrain and weather have conspired to repel most attempts at exploration. Modern scientific methods have scarcely made inroads into wringing the secrets from this most enigmatic labyrinth. Yet this extraordinary area, arguably the least studied region on the planet, is about to be mortally threatened by the gold-rush mentality of a new industrial exploitation. For twenty years it has been my struggle and my work to scientifically examine the depths of the Patagonian seas so that this new knowledge might be applied towards avoiding, or at least mitigating the destructive effects of this type of exploitation. My expeditions have revealed an unknown, stunningly lush benthic life and my data have often been the only source of biological information for decision making on the future of a unique ecosystem. My discoveries include dozens of new species even in the most accessible parts, and can only foreshadow what hides in the areas and depths that so far have been out of reach. All this could easily be destroyed before we can see it. This movie will help me to share these wonders with the public to raise awareness and create advocacy. I hope my work will empower me to succeed in my quest to implement a network of protected areas that will efficiently conserve some of the world’s last true marine wilderness.
Synopsis
The ecology of Chilean Patagonian fjords is mysterious and fragile. This documentary follows Vreni Haussermann as she explores these rich ecosystems and highlights the key challenges for the wildlife there. The film calls for a better understanding of the area and for marine protected areas to be established urgently. Otherwise these ‘gifts of silver’ will be lost forever.
Dr. Vreni Häussermann
Lead Actor, Academic Advisor
Vreni Häussermann is the director of the Huinay Scientific Field Station located in the Comau Fjord in Chilean Patagonia. She is promoting and carrying out multi-disciplinary research that is needed to facilitate conservation and sustainable resource management in this region. Her research focuses on marine biodiversity and mass mortalities, ocean acidification, climate change and marine spatial planning. She was the organizer and main editor of the book Marine Benthic Fauna of Chilean Patagonia, the first marine field guide for multiple groups of organisms in the fjord region. Through her work for the Huinay Foundation she is active in counselling governmental and non-governmental organisations on conservation and proper marine resource management and brings research results not only to the scientific community, but also to decision makers, industry representatives, fishermen and the broader public. With a group of cooperating NGOs and the Chilean gouvernment, she is developing a proposal for a network of MPAs for Chilean Patagonia. She has contributed to international initiatives such as the Census of Marine Life, the Discover Life program, Mission Blue and Google Ocean. In 2011 she received a PEW Marine Fellowship and in 2016 the Rolex Award for Enterprise.
Eddie Frost
Director, Writer
Eddie Frost has been making documentaries for 14 years. He is Creative Director at Proudfoot, a production company based in London. His work has taken him all around the world and he has worked on broadcast productions for National Geographic channels and BBC World among others. Most of his work, though, is on films for online audiences interested in the environment or the arts. He believes that the arts have a responsibility to change how people see the world, and that includes vulnerable ecosystems
This documentary has been funded With the Rolex Award for Enterprise obtained for the project “Patagonia in depth”
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