What happens when a wild orca tries to make friends with people – not for food, but for companionship? Should humans welcome him or turn away?

Saving Luna is a true story about one such killer whale, who was nicknamed Luna. In 2001, when Luna was just a baby, he found himself alone in Nootka Sound, on the West Coast of Vancouver Island, more than 200 miles away from his family. Orcas normally spend their entire lives together, but Luna was lost.

Without other whales, Luna tried to make contact with humans. But law and science told people to stay away. Yet the same social instincts that drove Luna to seek companionship also brought people to him, in spite of the law.

As Luna got close to people, he became both treasured and feared. To natives he was the spirit of a chief. To boaters he was a goofy friend. To conservationists he was a cause. To scientists he was trouble. To officials he was a danger. As conflict and tragedy stained the waters, Luna became a symbol of the world’s wildest beauty: easy to love, hard to save.

We are currently producing a documentary called Saving Luna for CBC Newsworld’s The Lens.

Mountainside Films recently received support from Telefilm Canada’s Theatrical Documentary Program for a theatrical release of Saving Luna.

For more information, visit www.savingluna.com.