Currents of Silence
Andriana Fragola is a Marine biologist originally from Miami, Florida who is currently residing in Oahu, Hawaii. As a steward of conservation, Andriana is using her film making skills and social media presence to raise awareness for conservation as she aims to shift the negative misconceptions surrounding sharks. 

Her life has been marked by profound challenges but amidst the storms, Andriana found her rebirth in the oceans of Hawaii. Water has become her sanctuary, a place where she discovered healing through the therapeutic embrace of the ocean and its inhabitants. Diving with her chosen family of tiger sharks, she not only documents their behavioral nuances but also shares these awe-inspiring experiences online. 

Currents of Silence provides an intimate glimpse into our protagonist's journey of trying to break the misconceptions around sharks through social media and filmmaking while dealing with the tragedies of her own life. 

Towards the beginning of her career, Andriana quantitatively studied sharks at the University of Miami. Presently, she is taking an observational approach filming tiger shark behavior and using social media to instill a positive perception towards them. Andriana has found a unique way to advocate and educate audiences through a non-traditional relationship with these sharks. Through Andriana, our film will urge audiences to discover their own unconventional methods of healing. Currents of Silence will deeply explore critical themes of grief, mortality, conservation, passion, spirituality and ultimately the importance of connection.

The search for Roxy transcends the external world as it mirrors and ignites the profound journey of self-discovery. Roxy becomes a universal symbol, embodying the essence of each one of us; lost yet poised for rediscovery in a world that often makes us feel isolated.

In 2020, an experimental study was done on the influence YouTube videos had on the public’s tolerance towards sharks. The conclusion drawn was advocating wildlife tolerance is essential for conservation. Public attitudes shape policies supporting wildlife and are crucial for globally declining sharks. Their research highlights cost-effective use of YouTube to enhance shark tolerance. It showed positive messaging on social media is powerful for shark conservation and Andriana is doing just that. Currents of Silence will not only amplify the voice of a misunderstood species but it will also delve into the lost cultural connection humans once had with our natural world. The film will emphasize life forms' intrinsic relationship with water.

At a fundamental level, Currents of Silence will probe the essence of humanity and demonstrate how science can evolve as Andriana copes with the possibility of Roxy never returning. Simultaneously, we will examine our place on Earth and humans' lack of respect for the inhabitants of an environment we are not naturally meant to inhabit. Currents of Silence serves as a mirror, challenging viewers to evaluate themselves and question our place in this world we call home.

Picture of Roxy:

How can we create empathy for a species that we were never meant to connect with?

Shooting on ultra-wide focal lengths and black/white color theory, we will mimic a sharks field of vision with a monochromatic color theory. 

Sharks do not process color the same way we do. This phycological characteristic offers us a perfect opportunity to explore. 

The camera gives us a chance to connect with a tiger shark beyond just physical touch. Let's see what they see and how they see it.

Anthony Ramón Soto (DIRECTOR/PRODUCER)

Anthony Ramón Soto is a Cuban-American director, screenwriter, and producer from Miami, Florida. over the past 3 years, His first documentary, The Teacher and The Mountain, won the 70th Trento Film Festival T4 Future award in Trento Italy. He went on to make Pie Mojado which was nominated for a LOLA award at the Philadelphia latino film festival. He co-wrote and directed Where are you Margaret May; a short psychological thriller currently in its festival circuit run. He also directed, co-produced and is currently co-editing a feature length documentary about a first generation Indian-American chef going back to her homeland to uncover sustainable cooking practices being implemented at various socio-economic levels.

Walker Barnes (PRODUCER)

Walker Barnes is an American producer, writer, and actor currently based in Los Angeles. Barnes is the co-founder of Seasick Studios. Barnes developed and successfully spearheaded the equity financing for the upcoming TV series, Parallel. Barnes serves as the Producer for the dark-heist comedy 'Above The Line,' featuring Cedric the Entertainer, slated for a 2024 premiere and Executive Producer for 'Bob Trevino Likes It,' starring John Leguizamo and Barbie Ferriera, the winner of both the Narrative Feature Grand Jury Competition AND the Narrative Feature Audience Award at SXSW 2024. He is also set to produce his feature script, Mr. USA which currently has Henry Winkler attached to star. Barnes has worked creatively with major brands such as Coca-Cola, ABC Mouse, Adidas, and Snapchat. He has a bachelor’s degree from The University of Florida.

Nini Le Huynh is an award-winning film producer and an Asian-American actress. Her documentary, 8:15: From Father to Daughter, about a first-hand account of survival in Hiroshima, won the Audience Award at the Nashville Film Festival and was distributed on PBS in 2023. Her short film, The Dark of Night, directed by Robin Wright starring Leslie Bibb and Sam Rockwell, had its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in 2017. In 2014, Nini made her acting debut on the highly acclaimed Netflix original series, House of Cards, as Lynn Phang from Season 3-6. Nini's latest documentary, Incandescence, about an albino woman on a journey to find self-acceptance, will be making its debut at the Beverly Hills Film Festival in May 2024.

Jordan is a Bermudian-Canadian actress, writer and producer who has been featured in projects such as CW’s SUPERNATURAL, SyFy’s 12 MONKEYS, and Netflix’s ANON, but is perhaps best known for her role on four seasons of Netflix's highly acclaimed series THE UMBRELLA ACADEMY as Grace, AI Mother to a family of superheroes including Elliot Page and Robert Sheehan. Jordan also recently starred in Lionsgate’s psychological thriller ESCAPE THE FIELD alongside Theo Rossi and Shane West. Jordan’s producing credits include self-written and led short film, DRIVER IS ARRIVING NOW, comedy heist film ABOVE THE LINE starring Adhir Kalyan and Cedric the Entertainer, and upcoming comedic horror feature CHERRY CREEK for which she will also play a leading role.

With over 30 years of production experience in Hawaii's TV and Film industry, Angela has worked on all types of projects from commercials and music videos to episodic TV, indies, and feature film productions. Her long list of credits as a Producer include award-winning independent film, "The Wind and the Reckoning" and "Hawaii Five-0" for 4 Seasons. Adding to her Producer credits - the Hawaii unit of the Godzilla TV series, "Monarch" and "Chief of War", both releasing on Apple TV + in 2024. Angela is in development on the award-winning book-to-TV series adaptation of "The Tattoo". She also served on the Hawaii International Film Festival Board for over 20 years. With her focus on elevating the AAPI film and entertainment community in Hawaii, she and her 2 partners created ICAN - International Cultural Arts Network. The mission: elevate, educate and train homegrown talent, build infrastructure, and create opportunities for the next generation and empowering diversity with focus on Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders in the film and entertainment industry. ICAN will bridge connections globally in all forms of storytelling. Angela earned her BA in Film Studies from UC Santa Barbara in 1986. She is a Freelance Producer and resides in Los Angeles where she remains bi-coastal with Hawaii being her niche.

Having previously worked as in-house composer at Hans Zimmer and Sony/ATV's Bleeding Fingers Music, her music has been heard in a multitude of movies and tv shows, most recently in Island of the Sea Wolves (Netflix), Eden: Untamed Planet (BBC America), and Primates (BBC One/PBS), for which she was awarded the 2021 News & Doc Emmy for Outstanding Music Composition. That same year, she was also awarded the ASCAP Foundation Michelle & Dean Kay Award for emerging composers in the LA area, recognizing her body of work and promising career. Largely influenced by classical, orchestral, rock, and pop music, Denise loves to blend these different genres to create uniquely powerful compositions that help uplift diverse stories, filmmakers, and creators.

Perrin James (Underwater Cinematographer)

Perrin James lives a life of underwater exploration and off- the-grid adventuring, whilst authentically capturing sea scapes and water people from each of his compelling expeditions around the globe. Founder and Director of Last Breath Film, Perrin has worked with industry-leading companies and the true grit adventurers that wait for no one, but nature. Living around the tides and yearly migration patterns is the only schedule Perrin James knows.

credits include daughter of the sea which won the 2023 people & nature short award at Jackson wild, Learning to drown which premiered at the 2021 Tribecca Film festival and received critical acclaim. 

In the current juncture of our documentary's development and fundraising endeavors, we are not just seeking financial support; we are embarking on a journey to explore the boundless cinematic possibilities that my vision encapsulates. Our enthusiasm is palpable as we navigate the intricate landscape of securing funds, tapping into diverse avenues such as grants, private equity, and negotiating potential pre-selling distribution deals. This multifaceted approach reflects our commitment to realizing a project of substance and impact. We are currently speaking with free fly ember to send us a camera to test our “Shark vision”

One of the strategic pillars of our success lies in the establishment of unique and valuable relationships with post-production houses, both on a domestic and international scale. These connections, carefully cultivated, serve as not just collaborators but as partners in the artistic journey. Engaging in ongoing conversations with these esteemed entities, we are leveraging their expertise to ensure that our documentary not only meets but exceeds the highest standards of visual and narrative excellence. Their involvement enhances the depth and richness of our storytelling, bringing a global perspective to a narrative rooted in personal experience.

As we navigate through the intricate web of pre-production, our sights are set on the horizon of production scheduled for August 2024. The timeline unfolds as a carefully orchestrated symphony of creativity and precision. The heart of our cinematic odyssey lies in the Production Principal Photography phase, set against the backdrop of the tiger shark migration season in Hawaii, spanning from June to November 2024. This strategic timeline is not just a logistical choice; it is a deliberate alignment with the natural rhythm of the marine world, capturing the essence of our subject matter in its most authentic form. The ensuing Post-Production phase, slated for 2024-2025, is where the magic unfolds — where the raw footage and creative elements are meticulously curated into a visual masterpiece.

This is not merely a project; it is a convergence of passion, expertise, and creative synergy. With each step, we are inching closer to the realization of a cinematic masterpiece that goes beyond traditional storytelling boundaries, promising to captivate hearts, stimulate minds, and leave an indelible mark on the landscape of documentary filmmaking.

We need your support to make currents of Silence a reality! We need to raise at least $80,000.00 for production!

Here is a breakdown of how these funds will be spent:

Monies will go towards:

Currents of Silence will take our film across the country as we navigate the documentary filmmaking process in Florida, California and Hawaii.

Interacting with wild animals can always be a risk but swimming with Tiger sharks outside of a cage is taking our safety measures to the next level.

We thank you all so much and are extremely grateful to be bringing you this story. 

Love,

Currents of Silence team.