Humpback Whale Documentary Won Film Festival Award
The documentary If They Were Us earned top honors for its depiction of the Sargasso Sea ecosystem.
Updated on Sept. 30, 2026 in Wildlife
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The documentary If They Were Us: The Humpback Whales of the Sargasso Sea took first place in the Marine Ecosystems Film category at the Wildlife Conservation Film Festival. The film, which explores annual whale migrations, also earned runner-up for Best Feature Finalist and third place for Best Cinematography.
Why it matters
This award recognizes a documentary that draws on two decades of research to document the migratory patterns and lives of humpback whales. The production highlights the importance of long-term conservation research and environmental storytelling.
The 47-minute documentary identifies nearly 2,500 individual whales from the Bermuda Humpback Whale Catalogue. It utilizes 180 hours of aerial and underwater footage captured throughout 20 years of research.
The players
Andrew Stevenson
He is a marine researcher and filmmaker who has dedicated two decades to the study and documentation of humpback whales.
Elsa and Somers Stevenson
They serve as the narrators for the documentary If They Were Us and provide a personal perspective on the marine life featured.
Wildlife Conservation Film Festival
This is an international event held in Monterrey, Mexico, that highlights films focused on environmental and animal preservation.
The details
Produced by Andrew Stevenson, the film incorporates drone and underwater camera technology to track whales through the Sargasso Sea. Some segments were produced in a converted bedroom closet studio, and the narration is provided by Elsa and Somers Stevenson.
Timeline
The documentary won at the Wildlife Conservation Film Festival in September 2026.
Andrew Stevenson conducted two decades of marine research.
Where the Whales Sing won the Best Underwater Film-maker award in 2010.
The Secret Lives of the Humpbacks was completed and won an award in 2019.
The Secret Lives of the Humpbacks received an award in France in 2022.
Deeper Dive
The use of data from the Bermuda Humpback Whale Catalogue validates the scientific integrity of the film's findings. The documentary directly extends the population identification metrics established by this catalog through 20 years of continuous observation.
The documentary will be screened at various local venues, offering audiences an opportunity to view the migratory research firsthand. Viewers can gain a deeper understanding of marine ecosystem health and the specific research methods used to identify individual whales.
The takeaway
This award-winning project demonstrates how decades of dedicated field research can be translated into compelling visual narratives for the public. Aspiring documentary filmmakers can observe how limited resources, such as a home studio, can still result in high-quality professional work.
What happens next
The film will be screened at various local venues in the near future.
Further reading
Learn more about the latest conservation efforts and animal studies in the Wildlife section.
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