“OCEANS” Hits Theaters on Earth Day 2010

BURBANK, Calif. , February 08 /Businesswire/ - Disneynature’s next big-screen splash “OCEANS” has launched group ticket sales to boost its efforts to save coral reefs with proceeds generated from the film’s opening week. “See OCEANS, Save Oceans” is an initiative developed with The Nature Conservancy where a portion of each ticket sold for the film’s opening week April 22-28 will help establish new marine protected areas in The Bahamas.

“We launched our newest label Disneynature and ’EARTH’ with our ‘Buy a Ticket, Plant a Tree’ effort that benefited The Nature Conservancy’s Plant a Billion Trees Campaign,” said Chuck Viane, president, distribution, for Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. “This year, our focus has shifted to the planet’s oceans with ‘See OCEANS, Save Oceans.’ We recognize the importance of coral reefs to the intricate global ecosystem and we want to help preserve them—both literally, through our contributions and commitment to organizations like The Nature Conservancy, and figuratively, by sharing the spectacular imagery of ‘OCEANS’ with audiences worldwide.”

“These filmmakers have given us the pleasure of looking over their shoulders—of doing what I have dreamed of being able to do—to get in a school of fish, to be a dolphin, to be a whale—and swim along with them,” said Dr. Sylvia Earle, Explorer in Residence at the National Geographic Society. “This is the best I've ever seen. It takes me places I've wanted to go. This is beyond art. This captures the spirit, the very essence of the sea.”

"From coral reefs and their abundance of life to the solitary swimmers that lurk in the depths, this film demonstrates that oceans are home to some of the planet’s most amazing creatures,” said Mark Tercek, president and CEO of The Nature Conservancy. "While their bounty seems infinite, oceans and coasts are in great jeopardy from growing demands. Our hope is that this unique collaboration—and this important film—will educate an audience of millions about how to protect our oceans for generations to come."

According to Viane, youth and school groups across the country can be among the first to reserve tickets to this special engagement and participate in helping to save our coral reefs. Groups of 20 or more can reserve tickets today by calling 1-888-DISNEY6. Also, in collaboration with National Geographic, Disneynature has developed educational materials that can be downloaded for free by visiting www.disney.com/Oceans.

SEE OCEANS, SAVE OCEANS

Disneynature will make a contribution to one of the largest conservation organizations in the world, The Nature Conservancy, to save coral reefs in honor of each moviegoer who sees OCEANS during opening week (April 22-28). Through the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund, Disneynature and The Nature Conservancy will help establish new marine protected areas in The Bahamas. For more details on Disneynature’s collaboration with The Nature Conservancy, please visit: www.disney.com/Oceans.

The 700 islands that comprise The Bahamas contain miles of vital coral reefs, which are the foundation of a healthy ocean environment, providing shelter, nurseries and feeding grounds for hundreds of marine species, including dolphins, sea turtles and a wide range of fish. Scientists estimate that the coral reefs of the Caribbean could be gone within 50 years without a network of well-managed marine protected areas.

Due to the generous support from Disneynature, The Nature Conservancy has recently launched its Adopt-a-Coral-Reef program (adopt.nature.org/coralreef/) in The Bahamas. The Nature Conservancy is working to protect the coral reefs in The Bahamas and other critical locations throughout the Caribbean and around the world. As a leading global conservation organization, The Nature Conservancy manages more than 100 marine conservation projects in 31 countries and in all U.S. coastal states.

ABOUT THE MOVIE

Disneynature, the studio that presented the record-breaking film “EARTH,” brings OCEANS to the big screen on Earth Day, 2010. Nearly three-quarters of the Earth’s surface is covered by water and OCEANS boldly chronicles the mysteries that lie beneath. Directors Jacques Perrin and Jacques Cluzaud dive deep into the very waters that sustain all of mankind—exploring the playful splendor and the harsh reality of the weird and wonderful creatures that live within. Featuring spectacular never-before-seen imagery captured by the latest underwater technologies, OCEANS offers an unprecedented look beneath the sea in a powerful yet enchanting motion picture that unfolds on April 22, 2010. For more information, visit disney.com/oceans or become a fan on Facebook: facebook.com/Disneynature.

ABOUT THE NATURE CONSERVANCY

The Nature Conservancy is a leading conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people. The Nature Conservancy and its more than 1 million members have protected nearly 120 million acres worldwide. Visit The Nature Conservancy on the Web at www.nature.org.

ABOUT DISNEY WORLDWIDE CONSERVATION FUND

The Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund has advanced Disney's legacy of conservation to inspire people and partnerships to protect the world’s wildlife. To date, the DWCF has granted more than $14 million to 817 projects in 110 countries. DWCF is a Disney initiative to support conservation and animal welfare and is not a US 501(c)(3) public charity. More information about DWCF's efforts for wildlife, wild places and the people linked to their survival, is available at www.disney.com/conservation.

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