Description from TIFF 2009 catalog:

Digging its way out of the sand on a Florida beach, a newly hatched loggerhead turtle has only one goal: to make it to the ocean. So begins one of the most fascinating and extraordinary migration stories in the animal kingdom, strikingly captured in Turtle: The Incredible Journey.

Although the distance from the beach to the ocean isn’t far, the trip isn’t easy for a three-day-old loggerhead turtle. Facing predators on land and in the air, the young turtle races to get into the water, where this instinctively adept swimmer then battles against the strong waves, travelling further and further into the ocean.

In existence for over one hundred million years, loggerhead turtles follow the same paths their ancestors swam in one of the longest migrations in the natural world. The route takes them from the calm of the Sargasso Sea, where young turtles can grow and gain strength, to the rush of the Gulf Stream, which they ride to the cold North Atlantic. Loggerheads must muster all their resources to make their way back to warmer waters, joining fellow turtles and the diversity of marine creatures that make up the wonders of life in the sea.

However, changes to these seas are endangering loggerheads. Deep-net and longline fishing claim many, while the rising water levels threaten to wipe away the beaches where they are born and where, after up to twenty-five years in the ocean, a female turtle will return to lay her eggs and launch a new generation.

Featuring breathtaking underwater photography that showcases the immense beauty of aquatic life in a variety of locations and seasons, Turtle: The Incredible Journey brings together adventure, suspense and an important and timely message about the planet we all share, delivering a magical and remarkable story to be enjoyed by audiences of all ages.

About the director:
Nick Stringer is an Emmy Awardwinning producer and director. For over fifteen years, he has been making wildlife and science television programmes for the National Geographic, BBC and other networks. His television documentaries include Bodysnatchers (00), Poison! (01), Secret Weapons (03), Bug Attack (03), Alien Worlds (05) and Saved by Dolphins (07). Turtle: The Incredible Journey (09) is his first feature documentary.

Visit the film’s official website:
http://www.saveourseas.com/turtlefilm