Ocean with David Attenborough

10% for the Ocean are proud to have partnered with Silverback Films to co-produce Ocean with David Attenborough, which will be released in cinemas worldwide from 8 May 2025.

10% for the Ocean is a catalyst for change in ocean conservation. We help to bring the most exciting new projects to life. If you would like to support our work, including this film, please do consider making a donation.

The world-renowned filmmaker and broadcaster shares the untold story of our ocean and his greatest message of hope for our planet.

The powerful documentary takes viewers on a breathtaking journey showing there is nowhere more vital for our survival, more full of life, wonder, or surprise, than the ocean.

In the film the celebrated broadcaster and filmmaker reveals how his lifetime has coincided with the great age of ocean discovery. Through spectacular sequences featuring coral reefs, kelp forests and the open ocean, Attenborough shares why a healthy ocean keeps the entire planet stable and flourishing. Stunning, immersive cinematography showcases the wonder of life under the seas and exposes the realities and challenges facing our ocean as never-before-seen, from destructive fishing techniques to mass coral reef bleaching. Yet the story is one of optimism, with Attenborough pointing to inspirational stories from around the world to deliver his greatest message: the ocean can recover to a glory beyond anything anyone alive has ever seen.

World-renowned filmmaker, broadcaster and environmentalist

David Attenborough said, “My lifetime has coincided with the great age of ocean discovery. Over the last hundred years, scientists and explorers have revealed remarkable new species, epic migrations and dazzling, complex ecosystems beyond anything I could have imagined as a young man. In this film, we share some of those wonderful discoveries, uncover why our ocean is in such poor health, and, perhaps most importantly, show how it can be restored to health.

This could be the moment of change. Nearly every country on Earth has just agreed, on paper, to achieve this bare minimum and protect a third of the ocean. Together, we now face the challenge of making it happen.”

The Production

OCEAN WITH DAVID ATTENBOROUGH is a Silverback Films and Open Planet Studios co-production, in association with All3Media International, National Geographic, and Minderoo Pictures. The film is directed by Toby Nowlan, Keith Scholey and Colin Butfield and produced by Nowlan. The film is co-produced by Arksen & 10% for the Ocean, Don Quixote Foundation, National Geographic Society and Pristine Seas, Revive Our Ocean, and The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation.

Global impact

The theatrical release is timed ahead of World Ocean Day, June’s United Nations Ocean Conference 2025 in Nice, France, and midway through the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030).

As world leaders decide the fate of our ocean, OCEAN WITH DAVID ATTENBOROUGH will show why ocean recovery is vital for stabilising our climate and securing a healthier future for us all, and how marine protection - if immediately implemented - can help to turn the tide.

OCEAN WITH DAVID ATTENBOROUGH is being released as a Global Cinema Event, inviting audiences worldwide to come together to experience Attenborough’s untold story of the ocean on the big screen. Altitude will release the film in the UK & Ireland and have partnered with Piece of Magic Entertainment to release the film in the rest of the world, including in Australia, New Zealand, France, Canada, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Iceland and South Africa. Additional countries are still to be announced.

Why We Made This Film


The ocean is our planet’s life support system—covering over 70% of the Earth, producing more than half the oxygen we breathe, and regulating our climate. Yet, it remains critically underfunded, receiving less than 1% of global philanthropic giving. In 2023, just $0.9 billion was directed toward ocean conservation out of the $811 billion donated worldwide..

Meanwhile, 90% of fish stocks are overfished or exploited, a garbage truck’s worth of plastic enters the ocean every minute, and destructive bottom trawling wipes out seabed ecosystems the size of the UK every year. Chronic underfunding is pushing marine conservation efforts toward collapse.

If just 10% of all charitable giving went toward ocean conservation, it would unlock $80 billion annually—enough to end overfishing, restore vital ecosystems, and protect 30% of the ocean by 2030.

10% for the Ocean acts as a mutual fund for the sea, pooling donations from individuals, businesses, and foundations to fund the most impactful conservation, research, and restoration initiatives worldwide. To date, we have supported 70 organizations across 27 countries, funding hundreds of projects that empower local champions, advocate for stronger policies, and drive meaningful change.

Media projects like Ocean with David Attenborough play a crucial role in shifting global attention and momentum toward ocean conservation—bringing these urgent issues to life and inspiring action on a global scale.

If you would like to support our work, please donate. Together we can turn the tide.