Last
Knights of
Nature

DOCUMENTARY BY
HELENE STEINER & JAN STÖCKEL

Synopsis

"Last Knights of Nature" follows a passionate group of conservationists and scientists, spotlighting their efforts to discover and preserve marine biodiversity. This documentary navigates through multiple scenic locales, from the volcanic islands of Capo Verde to the bustling labs in Tenerife and northern France, encapsulating a broad spectrum of marine research and community involvement.

The film features Jesus, a veteran marine biologist with a lifetime of species discovery, alongside his friends Leo and Carmen, a couple deeply involved in marine conservation. Their journey begins in Capo Verde, where they collect marine specimens with basic yet effective tools, showing a blend of enthusiasm and scientific rigor reminiscent of Darwin's expeditions.
The narrative unfolds with their return to Tenerife, where they join an international scientific mission. They meet scientific divers who look like astronauts and a young self-made submarine pilot.

A brief nostalgic interlude with Checho, an old professor who reminisces about past glories, captures the passing of the torch from one generation to another.

Significant portions of the film are driven by the uncertainties of discovery and the looming question of how many species remain unidentified due to the declining number of taxonomists and rapidly changing biodiversity. The documentary explores how these "knights" of nature come together to combat environmental and funding challenges to unveil the unseen life beneath the waves.
Scenes transition from the rugged landscapes of São Vicente to the technological confines of submersibles and high-tech labs, illustrating a stark contrast between the natural world and human intervention.

The protagonists of this film are not only human. The microscopic species found become central characters and fill the screen, giving unprecedented access to an until now invisible world.

Through the scientists' experiences, we witness an extraordinary expedition that challenges stereotypes and showcases their deep motivations and every tiny sea creature they find is a profound step forward.

The documentary underscores a powerful message—we can't protect what we don't know. These undiscovered species offer potential solutions to our terrestrial challenges and serve as crucial indicators of our planet's health, illuminating aspects of our own evolution."

Film Team

Helene Steiner
Co-Director
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Helene Steiner is the director of OpenCell, a company dedicated to lowering the entry-level to biotechnology. Her passion for telling the story of biotechnology has led to collaborations with figures like molecular gastronomy chef Heston Blumenthal and musician Alex James from Blur.

Helene's contributions to science have been recognized by the National Academy of Sciences and have received over 20 international awards and been published in leading journals like Sciences Advances. Her work has been exhibited worldwide, including the Pompidou and the Victoria and Albert Museum.

She serves as a Steering Committee member at the SynBio IRC, University of Cambridge and worked in prominent research institutes such as Microsoft Research and MIT Media Lab, the Bauhaus University, Royal College of Art, and Imperial College London.
Jan Stöckel
Co-Director & DOP
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Luca Ciriello
Assistant Director & Sound
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Luca Ciriello, is an Italian filmmaker from Naples, and member of the European Film Academy (EFA).
His educational journey encompasses a degree in Modern Philology and the completion of a Masters in Cinema at the Naples Film School, "Pigrecoemme." Luca also expanded his expertise in documentary cinema through his studies at Atelier del Cinema del Reale, "FilmAp."

In 2017, Luca initiated the production company "Lunia Film Srl" after securing the MiBACT "Cultura Crea" tender. Luca's current project, "Wasantha, the Snake Charmer," is a testament to his unwavering dedication to capturing captivating stories from diverse corners of the globe.
Lunia Film
Production Company
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Lunia Film is a production company founded in 2017 and based in Naples (Italy). It specialises in the ideation, production and post-production of feature-length and short films, mainly concentrating on creative documentaries.
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Lunia Film produced several successful projects such as the backstage and social content for the film “Ultras” by Francesco Lettieri, produced by Netflix and Indigo Film, “L’armée Rouge”, a feature documentary which premiered at the Festival dei Popoli in Florence and “Quaranta Cavalli”, a short documentary film which was shown during the Giornate degli Autori at the Venice Film Festival in 2020.
Giulio Gobbetti
Assistant Director & Sound
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