A female leading marine biologist and a teenage boy from a disadvantaged fishermen community in northern Peru will embark on a quest to tag whale sharks in a scientific discovery that aims to save the species (and the boy’s future).
SYNOPSIS
Ever and the Sharks is an intimate coming-of-age story set in Cancas, a remote fishing village in Northern Peru. At 13, Ever dreams of becoming a marine scientist, captivated by the mystery of whale sharks and mentored by Alejandra, a pioneering researcher fighting to protect them. But Ever’s journey is shaped as much by the sea as by the social and emotional currents of his life.
Filmed over four years, the documentary follows Ever as he learns to swim, dive, and imagine a future beyond his village. Under Alejandra’s guidance, he joins a groundbreaking research team attempting to tag whale sharks for the first time in Peru. When the team finally succeeds, they name the smallest shark “Ever”—a tribute to the boy who dared to follow them into the deep.
But dreams, like the ocean, are fragile. The following year, all tracking tags are lost—some near fish processing plants—and Ever’s life begins to shift. Pressured by family and lured by quick income, he spends nights at sea with his brothers, drifting from the research and his mentor. The whale sharks vanish, and with them, Ever’s sense of direction.
In the final act, a bold expedition rekindles his wonder. The team encounters whale sharks once again—graceful and unknowable. In their quiet rhythm, Ever rediscovers his own.
As he graduates and prepares to take his place in the adult world, he dives alone into open water. His path remains uncertain, but like the sharks, he keeps swimming forward.
Director Statement
“I’m certain of the power that great stories have to bring about change when they’re told with transparency and collective effort, and I know that this film will not only achieve changes in the local community but also open up a new universe of connection with the sea in a country like Peru".
Supporter Statement
“Our shared awareness of the earth and the incredible life forms that inhabit it has been profoundly shaped by the work of “wavemakers” like Dame Jane Goodall, Jacques Cousteau, Sir David Attenborough, and the teams of documentarians that worked alongside them. Through our production company, Cinco Dedos Películas, Adam Rackoff and I endeavor to support the next generation of these documentary storytellers. Filmmakers like Lucia Florez and Chemi Perez. Their new project, EVER AND THE SHARKS, will inspire and educate viewers; reminding us all just how precious life on our planet really is.” – Matthew Modine
ABOUT FILMMAKER(S)
Director Lucía Flórez
Lucía Flórez is a Peruvian documentary filmmaker with 15 years of experience creating stories on social and environmental issues. Flórez earned a master’s degree in documentary filmmaking from the New York Film Academy and was also named a Fulbright Scholar. As a National Geographic Explorer, she directed Shirampari: Legacies of the River (2022), a short documentary filmed in a pristine area of the Peruvian Amazon. The film has been screened at prestigious international festivals including Sundance 2023, DOC NYC, Santa Barbara, Big Sky, and DOK Leipzig, among others. She is currently producing her first feature-length film, Ever and the Sharks, on the northern coast of Peru. The film has received support from institutions such as the Sundance Institute Documentary Fund and Sandbox Fund. She is also co-directing Sila, a National Geographic Society-funded film set in the Arctic Circle, in collaboration with fellow National Geographic Explorers.
Producer Chemi Perez
Chemi Perez is a filmmaker who explores social issues through a cinematic lens. He is a Fulbright Alumni, Rotterdam Lab, Sundance DFP and Locarno Match Me! fellow. He produced the short film “Shirampari”, showcased in Sundance 2023 and POV Shorts. “Rabbit Paella” is his most personal work so far.
Executive Producer
Jim Miller
Jim Miller is Vice President of Strategic Initiatives at the New York Film Academy (NYFA) and Executive Director of the 10 ARTS Foundation. He serves on the boards of numerous nonprofit organizations and is the founder of Medhen Orphan Relief Effort (M.O.R.E.) and Artistic Freedom Initiative (AFI), as well as a founding member of the Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack (GCPEA). Jim is the Executive Producer of the award-winning documentary Shirampari: Legacies of the River, written and directed by Lucía Flórez and produced by Chémi Pérez.
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Women Make Movies (WMM), Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit media arts organization registered with the New York Charities Bureau of New York State and accepts charitable donations on behalf of this project. Your donation will be spent by the filmmaker(s) toward the production and completion of this media project. No services or goods are provided by Women Make Movies, the filmmaker(s) or anyone else associated with this project in exchange for your charitable donation.
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