One year after its release, Ocean with David Attenborough shows the power of storytelling to reach global audiences and support real-world change for the ocean. Our film set out to tell the urgent story of a changing ocean – combining cinematic storytelling with scientific insight and a clear message of hope and recovery.

A new 2025 Ocean Film Impact Report, from Silverback Films and Open Planet Studios, reveals how the film has travelled far beyond the screen.

Reaching millions of people worldwide, the film became National Geographic’s most-watched Documentary/Special in nearly four years and achieved major global box office success, showing in over 1,700 cinemas across 30 countries. Crucially, it continues to support conversations around ocean protection and recovery, amplifying the work of scientists, campaigners and organisations across the globe.

The film has been used widely across education, advocacy and decision-making spaces, with more than 1,500 free screenings in over 110 countries, reaching over 160,000 people across education, science, advocacy, business and finance sectors. Its reach reflects a truly collaborative effort, supported by a global network of partners, scientists, organisations and filmmakers.

A defining moment in the campaign saw the release of the world’s first high-quality footage revealing the impact of bottom trawling – bringing previously unseen activity on the ocean floor into public view and contributing to widespread calls to ban the practice in marine protected areas.

The film’s release was strategically timed to ahead of  the UN Ocean Conference and World Ocean Day, sparking vital conversations with world leaders and in international policy forums – many citing it as influencing policies to strengthen marine protection.

As the report shows, the impact of Ocean with David Attenborough continues to grow through screenings, informing policy discussions, and further storytelling through the open-sourcing of footage.

Read the full impact report: OceanFilmImpact.org