Covering one-third of the world’s coastline, kelp forests provide critical habitat for thousands of species. However, rising ocean temperatures due to climate change are threatening kelp populations worldwide. Over the past seven years, up to 95% of kelp has disappeared from parts of North America’s west coast. Hornby Island in British Columbia is one of many warming coastal regions where kelp has vanished.
Silent Sanctuary follows a small team of scientists as they embark on a groundbreaking study to restore kelp along the island’s shoreline. If successful, their research could pave the way for large-scale kelp restoration across BC’s coasts. But as they push forward, they begin to realize their chances may be slimmer than they had hoped.
Carter Kirilenko is an award winning film Director & Producer, specializing in documentary production. His films explore themes of human resilience and our relationship with the natural world. He is based in Vancouver, and has built a breadth of experience filming across different cultures and physically demanding environments.
Carter’s films have screened at festivals globally, garnering awards such as “People’s Choice Award” at VIMFF and “Best International Film” at Oregon Documentary Film Festival. Carter is a VIFF Catalyst Fellow, and has worked with companies such as WaterBear, Forgotten Parks Foundation, CPAWS, BBC Storyworks, and The Nature Conservancy. His work has been regularly displayed at the United Nations Conference of the Parties (COP) annual climate exhibitions.
He is currently developing Upemba, a feature documentary exploring the fight to protect one of the last wildernesses in the Congo, which is set to release in the summer of 2025.
Adam Combs is a multiform artist based on the west coast of Canada specializing in film creation and storycraft. For nearly a decade, Adam has worked professionally as an Editor, Director, and Cinematographer. His combination of skillsets grants him the ability to execute projects singly, from ideation to fulfillment, or as a specialized role within a larger team. He has worked for clients such as Land Rover, GMC, Canon, Xiaomi, G-Technology, and Canadian Parks & Wilderness Society. His work has been featured on CBC, Canada’s National Observer, and Global TV.
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