Sid Williams Theatre Society Presents: Hitchhiking Across The Atlantic

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Thursday, January 16th, 2014

A Blue Circle Series performance

Filmmaker and naval architect Thorsten O. B�hnke ended up as a crew member on the sailboat of a friend rather by chance. He set off on 1 May 2010 from Kiel, Germany. The journey on the catamaran sailboat "Indiana" took the two friends from the Baltic Sea into the North Sea. They continued along the Atlantic coast of Europe, following the routes of the old tall ships and the explorers of the past.

Explorers such as Alexander von Humboldt and Charles Darwin, who provided inspiration for the expedition, discovered countless new species on their journeys. Today, however, species are going extinct at an alarming rate. On their way towards western Africa, the friends visited conservationists, scientists and engaged citizens who are working to combat this species loss.

The journey of the "Indiana" ended on the Canary Islands. Thorsten was faced with the decision: should he end his journey as well or should he search, against all odds, for an opportunity to continue? He decided to continue and sailed as a �hitchhiker� from the Canaries via Cape Verde all the way to the Caribbean. Laura Winter, a marine ecologist from BC, joined Thorsten for a stretch of this journey.

Thorsten documented the journey on film. �Hitchhiking across the Atlantic� tells the story of the animals and people Thorsten and Laura met on their journey. They craft a delightful narrative that shows how beautiful and yet simultaneously fragile nature is. Thorsten and Laura's compassion and deep affection for all life shine through the film.

The film juxtaposes the beauty of the marine environment with its vulnerability, managing to maintain this balance without becoming moralizing or pointing a finger. Beyond its focus on nature, the film also shows how worthwhile it is to follow your dreams despite all obstacles.

A short version of the film won first prize in the Travel Documentary category in the Montevideo Film Festival in Kiel, Germany. The full-length version titled �Hitchhiking across the Atlantic� has now been completed. It is the first film of a series named �Running Downwind.� The film premiered in Merching, Thorstens hometown near Augsburg in southern Germany, on 21 October 2011.

A Q&A with the filmmaker will follow the screening.

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SPECIAL DEAL
Pair Hitchhiking Across The Atlantic with Running Downwind and get 2 shows for $21!