We’re all aware of the massive success of March of the Penguins. It was a beautifully shot film and a touching story and, more importantly, is responsible for the sudden popularity of penguins. Seriously, what the hell is with the newfound love of this animal? Was it always there? Did it ever go away? All I know is director Luc Jacquet did for penguins what Quentin Tarantino will ultimately do for Kurt Russel this year. (I will always stand by the fact that I have forever thought Kurt Russell is the man.) So there’s this new documentary on the nature scene, and it looks pretty interesting. ‘Sharkwater’ is about…you guessed it, SHARKS! But the interesting thing is the light in which the shark is portrayed in the film. We’ve become accustomed to seeing great white man eaters taking down 40 foot boats or super smart sharks unexpectedly eating Samuel L. Jackson. Director Rob Stewart attempts to breakdown the negative connotations associated with sharks:

Driven by passion fed from a life-long fascination with sharks, Stewart debunks historical stereotypes and media depictions of sharks as bloodthirsty, man-eating monsters and reveals the reality of sharks as pillars in the evolution of the seas. Filmed in visually stunning, high definition video, Sharkwater takes you into the most shark rich waters of the world, exposing the exploitation and corruption surrounding the world’s shark populations in the marine reserves of Cocos Island, Costa Rica and the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador. In an effort to protect sharks, Stewart teams up with renegade conservationist Paul Watson of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. Their unbelievable adventure together starts with a battle between the Sea Shepherd and shark poachers in Guatemala, resulting in pirate boat rammings, gunboat chases, mafia espionage, corrupt court systems and attempted murder charges, forcing them to flee for their lives.

It may be hard to sympathize with a creature that’s universally thought of as ‘scary’, but after watching this trailer, you’ll be ready to set Jaws free from the Universal Studios ride. This is the side of the shark that you rarely see. The massive market for shark fins is disgusting for many reasons, but mainly because of the fact that beyond the fin, the rest of the animal is discarded. Check out the trailer below and visit Sharkwater’s official website for more information on the film. Sharkwater hits theatres (limited i’m sure) on March 23.

Related Link: Sharkwater Official Website

Related Video: Sharkwater Official Trailer

Bonus Video: The Making of Sharkwater