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Project Type

Documentary

Role

Director & Cinematographer

Awards & Selections

Awards: Earth in Focus Nature Film Festival 2025: winner 'Best Ocean Film' & runner up 'Best Impact Film'
Official Selections: Dana Point Film Festival 2025 / Wildlife Conservation Film Festival 2025 / Big Blue Film Festival 2026 / Lisbon Underwater Film Festival 2026

'Born from the Reef' tells the story of Coco, a passionate and self-taught coral reef scientist from the Maldives. After increasingly frequent coral bleaching events, Coco and his team work to restore Maldivian coral reefs and protect those who rely on them. Using a cutting-edge strategy known as larval restoration, the team attempts to track coral spawning in hopes of collecting and releasing millions of coral larvae onto degraded reefs. The only challenge is whether or not it's already too late for these coral reefs to spawn.

© 2025 by Owen Bornhorst

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