Sinking a ship with the goal of creating an artificial reef is a huge undertaking. Add a massive art sculpture of a kraken on top, and now you have a really tough task.
But that’s just what Richard Branson and Maverick 1000 — a group of philanthropists — did in 2017 with the Kodiak Queen art installation, a unique wreck off Virgin Gorda in the British Virgin Islands.
A short documentary titled “The Kodiak Queen” — voiced by Academy Award winner Kate Winslet and directed by Rob Sorrenti — follows the project from inception sinking. The film gives an inside look at the extensive project, which was made to encourage tourism to the islands and help more local people learn to swim and gain an appreciation for their underwater resources.
But just a few months after the sinking of the ship, the BVI was devastated by Hurricane Irma. Now, the group is stressing the importance of dive tourism to this country’s economy as its people rebuild. Proceeds from the documentary will benefit the Unite BVI foundation, which works to support the islands’ recovery. You can donate to the foundation here.
The short film debuted at the Rhode Island International Film Festival in August, where it won the Green Planet Award Grand Jury Prize. Check out the trailer above, and visit robsorrenti.film/kodiakqueen for more information.
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