A documentary that explores the brand new regular of nice whites sharks patrolling Cape Cod’s shallow waters as they hunt for seals, and the fallout from a younger man being killed by an apex predator at a well-liked native seaside, is coming to HBO Max this summer time.
Award-winning filmmaker Ivy Meeropol not too long ago spoke to the Herald about her documentary, “After The Bite,” which dives into how the Cape’s coastal group is confronting dramatic modifications to the marine setting and lifestyle.
The explosion of the seal inhabitants alongside the Cape resulting from federal protections has sparked the phenomenon of nice white sharks feasting on seals each summer time and fall. As a outcome, there have been some shark and human encounters, together with in 2018 when Arthur Medici was killed by a shark.
During the years earlier than that deadly shark chunk, Meeropol like others had began to note extra seals within the space, and everybody was continuously speaking about seals and sharks.
“Then when Arthur Medici died, you felt a shift in how some people were viewing the situation,” she mentioned. “It wasn’t interesting or exciting for people. It was now terrifying.”
Meeropol at her household’s home in Truro used to swim method out within the bay, and she or he by no means considered any menace lurking within the waters.
“Then I heard sharks were being spotted in the bay, and that was really chilling,” she mentioned. “Now I get really nervous if I see anyone swimming out there. It has changed so much.”
Meeropol shouldn’t be a nature documentarian per se, however she was fascinated with the alarming new actuality of sharks alongside the Cape and wished to discover the story.
“It’s about the community and the people living there who are reacting to the massive changes in the environment,” she mentioned.
Through her documentary, Meeropol desires to encourage individuals to search out the sweetness within the ocean.
“I want to protect the wildlife, but also in making this film, I gained a lot of empathy for people who have been living at the Cape for generations and who are really concerned about what this means for them and their families,” she mentioned.
“If we all could just look at the bigger picture of things and get out of our own way, we can find ways to coexist with the wildlife,” she added.
Meeropol within the movie follows researchers who’ve been tagging sharks, and in addition lifeguards who’ve new security protocols.
“I do feel that all of these things are working,” she mentioned, noting that there hasn’t been a shark/human encounter since Medici’s demise virtually 5 years in the past.
“The safety precautions allow the creatures of the ocean to live their lives, and also allows us to continue to enjoy the local beaches,” she added.
“After The Bite” will premiere on the Provincetown Film Festival at Town Hall on June 15.
“The whole town seems to be buzzing about it,” Meeropol mentioned.
Then on June 23, the 88-minute documentary can be proven on the Nantucket Film Festival, together with a panel titled, “Learning to live with sharks.”
“After The Bite” will begin streaming on HBO Max on July 26.
Source: www.bostonherald.com”