Los Angeles, California, January 16, 2025 –MacGillivray Freeman Films is pleased to announce that Academy Award® and Golden Globe®-winning actress Mary Steenburgen will narrate the upcoming 3D documentary Call of the Dolphins, from award-winning filmmaker Jonathan Bird, for release in select IMAX® and giant-screen theatres starting February 14, 2025.
Call of the Dolphins invites audiences on an unforgettable journey into the fascinating world of wild dolphins, revealing the profound bond we share with these highly intelligent animals. With stunning visuals and immersive storytelling on the world’s largest screens, the film takes viewers beneath the ocean’s surface for an up-close exploration of how dolphins live, play, and interact—both with each other and with us.
“Mary Steenburgen is an exceptionally gifted artist and storyteller, and her voice will bring a unique warmth and depth to our film, which explores the deep bonds humans share with dolphins,” said Jonathan Bird, director and co-producer of the film. “This documentary offers a fresh, immersive experience with dolphins, and we are thrilled to have Mary’s talents help us bring this extraordinary journey to audiences.”
“Call of the Dolphins is an exciting opportunity for audiences to learn more about these remarkable creatures who have enthralled us for centuries,” said Mary Steenburgen. “With its beautiful cinematography, the film is sure to inspire a profound appreciation for these intelligent animals and highlight the importance of protecting their precious ocean home.”
The film features a range of remarkable stories, including those of Captain Wayne Scott Smith, who has spent 35 years leading dolphin snorkeling trips in the Bahamas and who shares a unique bond with Atlantic spotted dolphins; researchers from Hawaii and Florida’s Sarasota Dolphin Research Program, who are uncovering the mysteries of dolphin behavior; and members of the IFAW Dolphin Rescue Center in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, who save more than 300 stranded dolphins each year.
Mary Steenburgen is an Academy Award and Golden Globe winning actress who has appeared in countless roles on the big and small screen. She is known for her Oscar-winning work in “Melvin and Howard” in addition to unforgettable roles in “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape,” “Stepbrothers,” and television shows such as FOX’s critically acclaimed comedy series “The Last Man on Earth,” FX’s “Justified,” Netflix’s “Orange is the New Black,” HBO’s “Togetherness” and HBO’s “Curb Your Enthusiasm.” In her upcoming work, Steenburgen will star in the Josh Greenbaum directed comedy, “The Dink,” alongside Jake Johnson and Ed Harris, as well as “Let’s Have Kids!,” directed by Adam Sztykiel.
In addition to her work in film and television, Steenburgen is an award-winning songwriter for Universal Music Publishing Group and has collaborated with acclaimed artists in Nashville and Los Angeles such as Brothers Osborne, Kate York, Caitlyn Smith, Troy Verges, Lori McKenna and many others. Along with co-writers Troy Verges and Caitlyn Smith, Steenburgen wrote “See Me” for the upcoming animated film, “10 Lives,” which will be released in theatres in 2025.
Her additional film and television credits include: “30 Rock,” “Bored to Death,” and “Wilfred,” “Goin’ South,” “Time After Time, “Ragtime, “Philadelphia,” “Back to the Future,” “Cross Creek,” “Midsummer Night’s Sex Comedy,” “Miss Firecracker,” “The Proposal,” “Elf,” “Dirty Girl,” “Four Christmases,” “The Help,” “Last Vegas” and “Song One.” She lives in Los Angeles with her husband, Ted Danson.
Call of the Dolphins is the latest giant-screen documentary from award-winning filmmaker Jonathan Bird, whose Ancient Caves won the 2020 Best Film of the Year award from the Giant Screen Cinema Association, followed by Astronaut: Ocean to Orbit and Secrets of the Sea, produced with Howard & Michele Hall, which won the 2022 Best Film of the Year award. Bird is also the producer and host of the Emmy® Award-winning series Jonathan Bird’s Blue World.
Call of the Dolphins is produced by Oceanic Research Group Films and presented by MacGillivray Freeman Films.
We’d love to discuss bringing this immersive film to your theatre. Let’s talk!
Chip Bartlett, Dir. of Distribution Media, cbartlett@macfreefilms.com, 310-383-2377
