Gombessa III – Expedition Antarctica!

Gombessa III – Expedition Antarctica!

Blancpain and Laurent Ballesta have undertaken the third Gombessa expedition, in association with Luc Jacquet and hisWild-Touch Expeditions - Antarctica! project 

Following on from the Gombessa I expedition, which revealed the secrets of the coelacanth, the greatest zoological discovery of the 20th century, and Gombessa II, which studied the spectacular spawning behavior of the camouflage grouper, Laurent Ballesta and Blancpain have travelled to Antarctica for a pioneering exploratory, diving and photographic mission. This expedition is part of a wider initiative by movie director Luc Jacquet (who won an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature in 2006 withMarch of the

Penguins) to measure the impact of global warming in this polar region, and to capture the attention of the general public.

The French Dumont d'Urville scientific base in Adélie Land is the location for the headquarters of the Gombessa III expedition. For the first time in this region, a team of technical divers has been able to go beneath the sea ice. Each of these pioneering dives, never before achieved, represents a milestone on both human and technical levels, and will deliver the very first naturalist images of Antarctica’s deep-sea ecosystems. At the request of several research groups, particularly those at the National Museum of Natural History (MNHN) in Paris and the National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) in Marseille, the Gombessa III team will contribute to an inventory of deep-sea fauna that is being created. In addition, their footage will be shared with researchers for use in scientific publications.

Gombessa III is the underwater element of theWild-Touch Expeditions - Antarctica! project initiated and directed by Luc Jacquet. Ten years after March of the Penguins, the director has returned to the Antarctic with a highly talented artistic team, which includes renowned photographers Laurent Ballesta and Vincent Munier, to deliver a touching testament to a territory threatened by global warming. This immersive journey to the other side of the planet has been made possible by the support of many partners including logistics provided by the French Polar and the French Southern and Antarctic Lands Institute.

The expedition, which can be tracked on a daily video-blog on www.blancpain-ocean-commitment.com, will give rise to several documentaries, including those produced by ARTE in the image of “Gombessa I – The Coelacanth, Dive Towards our Origins” and “Gombessa II – The Grouper Mystery”, both of which received prestigious awards. Other plans include an IMAX movie by Luc Jacquet, books, including one for children, exhibitions, including one at the Musée des Confluences in Lyon between April 18 and August 15, 2016, and a vast social media campaign to raise awareness among the general public.