Sharkwater Extinction is a 2018 Canadian documentary film directed by Rob Stewart. It premiered at the 2018 Toronto International Film Festival.[1] A sequel to his 2007 film Sharkwater, the film, which Stewart was working on at the time of his death in a diving accident in January 2017,[2] was completed by the Rob Stewart Foundation in collaboration with director Sturla Gunnarsson and editor Nick Hector.[3][4]

Sharkwater Extinction
Canadian theatrical release poster
Directed byRob Stewart
Written byRob Stewart
Produced by
  • Sandra Campbell
  • Brian Stewart
  • Rob Stewart
CinematographyRob Stewart
Edited byNick Hector
Music byJonathan Goldsmith
Production
companies
  • Big Screen Entertainment
  • Sharkwater Productions
  • Diatribe Pictures
Distributed byD Films Corporation
Release dates
  • September 7, 2018 (2018-09-07) (TIFF)
  • October 19, 2018 (2018-10-19) (Canada)
Running time
85 minutes
CountryCanada
LanguageEnglish

Release

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The film premiered on September 7, 2018, at a TIFF "Special Event" that served as both the film screening and a memorial tribute to Stewart.[5] It also received a gala screening at the Cinéfest Sudbury International Film Festival,[6] as well as screenings at the Calgary International Film Festival[7] and the Vancouver International Film Festival.[8] Rob Stewart's mother, Sandy Stewart, said "[the] entire team stayed with it, everybody stepped up. We have people from all over the world — cinematographers, filmmakers, really important people — offering to help finish this, and that was really heartwarming."[9] Julie Andersen, who founded the nonprofit United Conservationists with Stewart, was part of this team.[10][11]

Reception

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Critical response

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Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reports an approval rating of 100% based on 30 reviews, with an average rating of 7.5/10. The site's critics' consensus reads: "Beautiful yet gut-wrenching, Sharkwater Extinction offers an eye-opening condemnation of an illegal trade -- and a poignant farewell to a talented filmmaker."[12] Metacritic reports a weighted average score of 76 out of 100 based on 8 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[13]

References

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  1. ^ "TIFF's Canadian lineup has titles by Denys Arcand, Jennifer Baichwal". CityNews, August 1, 2018.
  2. ^ "Canadian filmmaker Rob Stewart reportedly found dead, U.S. Coast Guard says". CBC News, February 3, 2017.
  3. ^ "Teaser From The Late Rob Stewart’s Third Film ‘Sharkwater: Extinction’ Released". ET Canada, May 11, 2018.
  4. ^ "Sharkwater Extinction finished by Windsor professor after Rob Stewart's death". CBC News Windsor, August 29, 2018.
  5. ^ "10 must-see Canadian films playing at TIFF 2018". Now, August 25, 2018.
  6. ^ "The Grizzlies to open Sudbury's Cinefest". Sudbury Star, August 29, 2018.
  7. ^ "Calgary International Film Festival to open with John C. Reilly, Joaquin Phoenix western The Sisters Brothers". Calgary Herald, August 29, 2018.
  8. ^ "VIFF loads up on Cannes hits, big stars, filmmaking greats". The Georgia Straight, August 30, 2018.
  9. ^ Sharkwater Extinction carries on late filmmaker Rob Stewart’s vision, say his parents. Toronto Star, September 7, 2018.
  10. ^ "MOVIE PREVIEW AND INTERVIEW: Sharkwater Extinction". Owl Connected. 2018-10-18. Retrieved 2022-05-15.
  11. ^ Castillo, Jorge Ignacio (2018-10-11). "Rob Stewart's Last Dive". Planets Mag. Retrieved 2022-05-15.
  12. ^ "Sharkwater Extinction (2018)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango. Retrieved October 10, 2021.
  13. ^ "Sharkwater Extinction Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved September 1, 2019.
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