2013 Films
OTTER 501
Courtesy of Sea Studios Foundation
MARCH
23
10:30 AM
Directed by: Bob Talbot
Venue: Avalon Theatre
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OTTER 501 (USA, 2012, 96 min.)
Combining documentary and dramatic narrative techniques, Otter 501 chronicles the remarkable true story of an orphaned baby otter that was washed ashore on the northern California coast when she was less than a week old. Rescued by the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Sea Otter Research and Conservation Program, “501,” as she was called, became part of a groundbreaking surrogate program. She was introduced to an adoptive sea otter mother who reared her for months so she could develop the necessary skills to survive in the wild. Parallel to this remarkable tale of how “501” got a second chance at life is the story of young Katie, an aspiring marine biologist who discovers the orphaned otter and becomes a volunteer at the Aquarium. Blending original documentary footage and the tools of social media, the film is a unique hybrid of fact and fiction that takes the traditional wildlife documentary into a new style of storytelling. Directed by Bob Talbot. Executive Producer: Mark Shelley.
Discussion with Tallie Wiles, Asian otter expert, Smithsonian National Zoo.
Ticket/Reservation Info:
Tickets: $5.75, Avalon senior members; $6.75, Avalon members; $7.75, General Admission. To purchase tickets, please call the box office at 202-966-3464 or visit www.theavalon.org.