"To the Arctic" at Fernbank IMAX Theatre

Yesterday, my family was the guest of Fernbank Museum for the opening celebration of the new IMAX® film, To The Arctic. The making of this film was truly epic. The filmmaking team visited the Arctic seven times over a four year period, logging a total of 8 months on the ice and on the Artic Sea. This story of love, family and survival in the harshest place on Earth was fabulous!  The film shows how the life cycles of caribou, seals and polar bears are all connected and all dependant on the timing and size of the ice pack. Director Greg MacGillivray notes. “With average temperatures rising faster here than anywhere else, the once-permanent summer ice pack is shrinking at an alarming rate and could ultimately become nonexistent. For the animals and the native people, these changes are already bringing hardship and may eventually threaten their very survival.” 

 Narrated by Oscar® winner Meryl Streep, To The Arctic will take you on a never-before-experienced journey into the lives of a mother polar bear and her twin seven-month-old cubs as they struggle to survive in a frigid environment of melting ice, immense glaciers, spectacular waterfalls, and majestic snow-bound peaks. Unlike most polar bears who are very difficult to photograph because they are so camera shy, this mother was comfortably indifferent to the cameras and crew. Over the course of a week, she allowed them an unprecedented window into her life at close range—hunting, playing,
nursing, and teaching her youngsters how to escape from danger, or stand their ground. The most amazing images were taken underwater of the polar bears swimming.

One of the photographers on this project, internationally renowned nature photographer Florian
Schulz, was at Fernbank yesterday to tell us about the making of this film and answer our questions. He worked alongside the filmmakers in this  multi-year expedition and collected thousands of stunning panoramic stills, 200 of which are reproduced in the film’s companion book, To The Arctic, published by Braided River. His image below of a polar bear cub looking at its reflection won in the “Wildlife” category of the Nature’s Best Photography Windland Smith Rice International Awards.
 
This film was fantastic! The photography was breath taking. The kids loved it and even 3 year Johnny was mesmerized. Every mom will identify with the story of the mother polar bear's struggles to protect and raise her cubs against almost insurmountable odds. This film definitely gets our seal of approval and we know that your family will enjoy it as much as we did.

To The Artic runs until September 3, 2012 at The Fernbank Museum. Ticket prices are: Adults, $13; Students, $12; Children 3-12, $11; Children 2 and under are FREE.

Members can save up to 40% off of IMAX tickets.

Purchase tickets HERE or by calling 404.929.6400.

Showtimes

Mon-Sat 11am, 1pm, 3pm, 5pm
Sun 1pm, 3pm, 5pm
Friday 8pm, 10pm

Run time: 45 minutes