Wildlife cinematographer Mauricio Handler to explore storytelling, conservation at ֱ Connections Lecture Oct. 5
How might documentary film offer a path toward more effective conservation? How can storytelling change minds and create connections between creatures living in the oceans and the humans whose actions may define their fate?
Those questions will guide the ֱ’s annual Connections Lecture on Monday, Oct. 5, featuring internationally renowned underwater natural history cinematographer and wildlife storyteller Mauricio Handler. His talk, “‘Carpe Diem’: A Wildlife Cinematographer’s Insight into Filmmaking,” will begin at 12:30 p.m. in the Multipurpose Rooms of the Campus Center on ֱ’s Biddeford Campus.
It is free and open to the public, and refreshments will be served.
Handler has spent decades photographing, filming, and leading expeditions above and below the water in both saltwater and freshwater environments, with a particular interest in sharks and marine mammals. His work has taken him around the world documenting marine life and telling stories for major cable and television networks.
During the lecture, Handler will take attendees behind the scenes of productions in Chile, the Azores, Indonesia, Maine, and beyond, using excerpts from his projects and experiences from his career to explore the cinematographer’s role as a storyteller in conservation.
Handler will also discuss his professional journey and the combination of skills, knowledge, and technical expertise required for wildlife filmmaking. He will offer insight into how an idea develops into a story on screen, how filmmakers connect those stories with audiences, and how accessible storytelling tools can empower people to tell stories of their own.
“It really doesn’t matter what field a student plans to go into; storytelling is critical,” said Professor Eric Zuelow, Ph.D., an environmental historian and organizer of the Connections Lecture. “Likewise, explaining environmental issues to the widest possible audience, demonstrating why people should care, is arguably the key to solving our biggest challenges.”
Born in Chile, Handler has maintained a particular connection to the country throughout his career. Among his experiences, he has filmed the story of an endangered South American sea otter learning to navigate its environment and was once introduced to a newborn sperm whale calf by its mother.
His work also extends to Maine. Handler is currently completing a film documenting the spring migration of key marine species off the Maine coast as part of a larger series he is producing titled “North American Waters.”
Hosted by ֱ’s College of Arts and Sciences, the Connections Lecture series brings leading thinkers to ֱ to examine ideas from multidisciplinary perspectives. The series encourages students and other attendees to engage with scholarly and creative work beyond the classroom, grounded in the idea that deeper understanding emerges when disciplinary boundaries are broken down.
The Oct. 5 lecture will include time for audience questions following Handler’s presentation.
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