La foca mediterrània: ciència, cinema i conservació

Following the documentary “L’odissea del vell marí”, screened for the first time on Saturday, 19 September, at 10:00 pm in the Poblenou del Delta Sports Hall, and a second time on Sunday, 20 September, at 10:30 am in the Carpa de Documentals at MónNatura Delta, a panel discussion will explore the story of the Mediterranean monk seal through a perspective that brings together science, conservation and cinema.

The film’s directors and several of the researchers involved in the project will share their experiences from decades of research, the challenges of documenting one of the world’s most endangered species, and the importance of science communication in bringing scientific knowledge closer to society. The discussion will also address the current state of Mediterranean monk seal conservation, the opportunities for the species’ recovery, and the role that marine protected areas and public engagement can play in preserving Mediterranean biodiversity.

The panel will feature Marta Hierro and Núria Abad, directors of the feature-length documentary. They joined forces professionally in 2014 after long and successful individual careers. Their shared desire to tell stories in depth had already led them into documentary filmmaking, specialising in social, cultural, environmental, scientific and health-related topics. Their collaboration gave rise to the production company MOM Works, through which they have developed a wide range of audiovisual projects, including the feature documentaries “L’odissea del vell marí”, “Dorothea i el Myotragus”, “Maria i la pel·lícula oblidada”, “Memòries de Puerto Rico”, “Torrelló davant la càmera” and “La batlessa”, among others; the documentary series “Munar” and “El Rei”; and the television programmes “IB3 Júnior” and “Balears fa ciència”. They also made their first venture into animation with “Dorothea on the Rocks”.

The discussion will also include Joan Mayol, biologist and former head of the Species Protection Service of the Government of the Balearic Islands, who proposed a preliminary project for the reintroduction of the Mediterranean monk seal to the national reserve of Cabrera Island. He has also served as a consultant to the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Lluís Toldrà, a lawyer specialising in administrative law in the fields of environmental and urban planning, legal counsel for DEPANA with experience in endangered species issues, and an associate professor at the University of Barcelona, will also contribute his perspective.

Finally, Jordi Sargatal, ornithologist, naturalist and Secretary for Ecological Transition, will discuss the proposal—and the dream—of reintroducing the Mediterranean monk seal to Catalonia more than 75 years after its disappearance. He will present the scenario envisaged for 2027, in which Cap de Creus would become the site to welcome the return of the vell marí to the Catalan coast.

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