Over the Horizon Television Show
Over the Horizon is the voyage of a lifetime!
Follow Kiwi adventurer Ellis Emmett as he embarks on an incredible journey across the waves of the Pacific Ocean in search of the some of the most remote places on Earth.
Filmed by Canadian award-winning Director of Photography Andre Dupuis, Ellis must harness the power of the wind to reach isolated islands and atolls only accessible by sailboat. Welcomed by the people who call these shores home, Ellis immerses himself in the fascinating, yet threatened cultures of Tonga, Fiji, Wallis & Futuna, the Marshall Islands, and Kiribati.
Even though they are mere dots on the map, Ellis discovers that these islands have very global stories to tell about climate change and rising sea levels, the ongoing effects of WWII and its nuclear aftermath, the loss of centuries-old traditions, human ingenuity, and of the near universal desire to know what’s there…just over the horizon.
OVER THE HORIZON – TRAILER from Echo Bay Media on Vimeo.
OVER THE HORIZON – SEASON ONE (6 X 60min):
Adventurer Ellis Emmett has his sights set on one of the greatest challenges on Earth; to sail around the world. Season One begins in Ellis’ native New Zealand where he learns the ropes – quite literally – of how to sail.
With millions of square miles of unforgiving ocean before him, Ellis sets off for the beautiful, yet isolated islands of the South Pacific. He immerses himself in the fascinating cultures of Tonga, Fiji, Wallis & Futuna, the Marshall Islands and Kiribati.
At the helm of his yacht, Rory Mhor, Ellis travels to places that are only accessible by boat. Who lives on those islands? How do they survive? And how are the combined pressures of globalization and climate change threatening their way of life?
Shot by award-winning cinematographer Andre Dupuis in glorious 6K, Over the Horizon will chart a course through the raw, breathtaking beauty of our planet as one man risks it all for an exhilarating journey of discovery.
Let the voyage begin!
EPISODE DESCRIPTIONS:
EP 101: NEW ZEALAND & THE KERMADEC ISLANDS
Ellis Emmett lives for adventure. Having conquered mountains and rivers in his homeland of New Zealand, his sights are now set on exploring the remote islands of the Pacific you can only get to by boat. The only trouble is, he doesn’t know how to sail. Ellis struggles with the physical and mental challenges of sailing but with help from friends both old and new, he finds his sea legs and sets off on his quest.
EP 102: TONGA & LOFI’S ISLAND
Adventurer Ellis Emmett reaches the Kingdom of Tonga, the first stop on his ambitious Pacific sailing quest. Ellis befriends a local named Lofi, and the two set sail for the isolated island of Tofua. Along the way they explore a newly formed volcanic island, navigate treacherous coral reefs, and must hunt for their dinner.
EP 103: FIJI & THE LAU GROUP
Explorer Ellis Emmett sets sail for the islands of Fiji, where he comes face to face with bull sharks, partakes in ancient Fijian fire walking rituals, and anchors in the remote Lau Islands, a beautiful place with a violent past.
EP 104: WALLIS & FUTUNA
Host Ellis Emmett has his first brush with royalty on the island kingdoms of Wallis & Futuna. But it is the life of a lone man, living simply on a remote island, which truly captures Ellis’ imagination. Ever the adventurer, Ellis dives into a lake that, according to local legend, is full of mysteries and monsters.
E105: THE MARSHALL ISLANDS
The Marshall Islands have a long human history, but it is the more recent saga that was thrust upon them during World War II and its aftermath that draws host Ellis Emmett to its shores. Following the Allied victory, the United States moved the local inhabitants from their quiet paradise in order to conduct atomic bomb testing at the famous Bikini Atoll. Ellis explores how, almost 65 years later, both the people and environment continue to be affected.
E106: KIRIBATI
For thousands of years, the island peoples of the Pacific were masters of the ocean, sailing across the waves in handmade canoes and navigating by the stars. But, these traditional ways and sailing knowledge are being lost to technology. Host Ellis Emmett helps get a traditional canoe back on the water, and sees first-hand how rising seas are changing life in the island chains of Kiribati.
2019 Rob Stewart Award for Best Science or Nature Documentary Program or Series
Commissioned by National Geographic Channels International, Over the Horizon (internationally broadcast as My Pacific Quest) follows adventurer Ellis Emmett on an incredible sea voyage to some of the most remote places on Earth.
“We are all thrilled by this recognition,” said Jennifer Howe, Series Producer. “Our small team truly committed themselves to this project. We didn’t just fly in and out, we were with Ellis for every nautical mile of his year-long journey. So, to be recognized by the Academy, in this particular category, is incredibly gratifying.”
Shot in stunning 6K by cinematographer Andre Dupuis, the series previously earned a 2018 Emmy® nomination for Outstanding Camerawork.
Filming took place from atop the newly formed volcanic island in Tonga recently featured in the news, to the depths of the still-radioactive Bikini Atoll lagoon, to the shores of the tiny nation of Kiribati that is being swallowed by the sea because of climate change.
“Breakthrough Entertainment is proud to have been a partner on this incredible series Over The Horizon,” said Ira Levy, Executive Producer and President, Breakthrough Entertainment. “We are truly honoured to be nominated for a CSA in the ‘Rob Stewart Award for Best Science or Nature Program or Series’ category. Echo Bay Media Inc., with the genius of director/cinematographer Andre Dupuis at the helm, has captured the hearts and souls of audiences in Canada and around the world with this amazing journey of Ellis Emmett.”
The Rob Stewart Award for Best Science or Nature Documentary Program or Series is presented annually by the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television to the year’s most exceptional science or nature documentary entered in the Canadian Screen Awards. The recipient also receives a $25,000 prize. The award is named in honour of the late filmmaker Rob Stewart whose inspiring work focused on the importance and urgency of preserving the natural environment.
Over the Horizon (My Pacific Quest) will be re-broadcast in Canada on BC’s Knowledge Network starting February 22nd 2019.
2018 EMMY Award for Outstanding Camerawork
