Ster-Kinekor to show OCEAN with David Attenborough in cinemas on 8 May 2025 to celebrate his 99th birthday

by Thinus Ferreira

With Sir David Attenborough celebrating his 99th birthday on 8 May 2025, Ster-Kinekor in South Africa is showing his documentary film, OCEAN with David Attenborough on Thursday 8 May at select Ster-Kinekor cinemas, with a repeat screening on 10 May.

In OCEAN with David Attenborough, he takes viewers on a breathtaking journey showing there is nowhere more vital for our survival, more full of life, wonder, or surprise, than the ocean.

The filmmaker reveals how his lifetime has coincided with the great age of ocean discovery and the film features a look at coral reefs, kelp forests and the open ocean.

OCEAN with David Attenborough, through immersive cinematography, showcases the wonder of life under the seas and exposes the realities and challenges facing the world's oceans as never-before-seen, from destructive fishing techniques to mass coral reef bleaching.

Yet the story is one of optimism, with David Attenborough pointing to inspirational stories from around the world to deliver his greatest message: the ocean can recover to a glory beyond anything anyone alive has ever seen.

In the trailer, he says "After living for nearly 100 years on this planet, I know understand the most important place on earth is not on land, but at sea. This is the story of our ocean and how we must write its next chapter together… For, if we save our sea, we save our world."

OCEAN with David Attenborough is a Silverback Films and Open Planet Studios co-production, in association with All3Media International, National Geographic, and Minderoo Pictures.

The film is directed by Toby Nowlan, Keith Scholey and Colin Butfield and produced by Toby Nowlan. 

OCEAN with David Attenborough has only two screenings at Ster-Kinekor in South Africa - on 8 and 10 May at 14:30.

These will be at the following Ster-Kinekor cinemas: Rosebank Nouveau, Mall of Africa, and Eastgate in Johannesburg; Brooklyn in Tshwane; Baywest in Gqeberha; Garden Route in George; Somerset Mall in Somerset West; as well as the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town.

BBC and Discovery Channel's new natural history series, Africa, with David Attenborough coming to BBC Knowledge in 2013.

BBC Knowledge (DStv 184) will bring South African viewers Africa in 2013, the 7 episode natural history series which has been a co-production between Discovery Channel and the BBC, narrated by David Attenborough.

The new natural history series will bring viewers images of new species, animal behaviours and secret natural wonders on the continent.

For Africa which has been 4 years in the making, the production team spent more than 1 500 days on location across 79 separate expeditions in 27 African countries. More than 21 different types of cameras were used, filming more than 2 000 hours of footage for the breathtaking new documentary series.

The episode "Making of Africa in the series has David Attenborough narrating how the series was filmed and the final episode will look at the rapid change Africa as a continent and its people are experiencing.