Rising Tide: The Ocean Podcast

Rising Tide: The Ocean Podcast


Sequoias of the Sea Hits the Big Screen

March 24, 2025

In our new episode of Rising Tide - the Ocean Podcast David Helvarg & Vicki Nichols Goldstein talk with friends Natasha Benjamin of Blue Frontier and Ana Blanco of the International Ocean Film Festival about their new role as co-directors of ‘Sequoias of the Sea.’ SOS as it’s also known is a 54-minute documentary film about the global crisis facing Kelp Forests. It tells that story through the lens of the people of Fort Bragg California, a former timber town on the state’s north coast. Natasha & Ana talk about the challenges of making the film and the challenges the people of Fort Bragg are facing as they try to create a new blue economy in the face of lost jobs, culture and sport that went away with the kelp. They also talk about its upcoming Première at the Ocean film festival in San Francisco on April 13 and how listeners can see it and learn more about the film and the marine forest.    


SEQUOIAS OF THE SEA: www.sequoiasofthesea.org

When a vital kelp forest vanishes, a coastal town's fragile ecosystem, ancient traditions, and livelihoods crumble, forcing a desperate fight for restoration in the face of climate change.


22nd Annual International Ocean Film Festival: https://intloceanfilmfest.org/

The global platform for ocean literacy and education throughout independent film. Since our inception in 2004, each year the IOFF features a four-day ocean engagement event for audiences from around the world.


Blue Frontier: bluefront.org

Building the solution-based citizen movement needed to protect our ocean, coasts and communities, both human and wild.


Blue Frontier on Substack: https://davidhelvarg.substack.com/


Inland Ocean Coalition: inlandoceancoalition.org

Building land-to-sea stewardship - the inland voice for ocean protection


Fluid Studios: fluidstudios.org

Thinking radically different about the collective good, our planet, & the future.