Cinema in Conversation: The Shape of Water
With a pre-screening discussion from Maine Master Naturalist and Waterville Creates' own Serena Sanborn!
Mute and isolated custodian Elisa (Sally Hawkins) works at a top secret research facility with her friend Zelda (Octavia Spencer), cleaning up after mysterious experiments. When Elisa discovers the lab's biggest secret, a humanoid amphibian captured in South America, she begins visiting him in secret. As she develops a friendship—and much more—with her new aquatic friend, she discovers that his life lies in the hands of Colonel Strickland (Michael Shannon), a government agent that has received orders to dissect the amphibian man, and a biologist (Michael Stuhlbarg) who may have an agenda of his own. From Guillermo del Toro, the director and master creature designer behind Pan's Labyrinth, "The Shape of Water is a wonder to behold. Magical, thrilling and romantic to the core, a sensual and fantastical fairy tale with moral overtones, it’s a film that plays by all the rules and none of them, going its own way with fierce abandon"—Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times.
Before the film, dive into the wild world of ocean romance with science communicator and Maine Master Naturalist Serena Sanborn as she explores how mating works beneath the waves! From the seductive rituals of lobsters to the passionate embraces of squid and the synchronized spawning spectacles of corals, this talk unveils the dazzling courtship dances, daring mating strategies, and extraordinary ways marine animals ensure their legacy lives on. Whether you’re a curious naturalist or just in the mood for some cheeky fun, join Serena in discovering the quirky, captivating, and downright fascinating mysteries of underwater romance!
This film is eligible for the Youth Arts Access Fund. Call the Box Office at 207.873.7000 to obtain YAAF tickets. Pay it forward! Donate to YAAF here.
WATCH TRAILER >
Mute and isolated custodian Elisa (Sally Hawkins) works at a top secret research facility with her friend Zelda (Octavia Spencer), cleaning up after mysterious experiments. When Elisa discovers the lab's biggest secret, a humanoid amphibian captured in South America, she begins visiting him in secret. As she develops a friendship—and much more—with her new aquatic friend, she discovers that his life lies in the hands of Colonel Strickland (Michael Shannon), a government agent that has received orders to dissect the amphibian man, and a biologist (Michael Stuhlbarg) who may have an agenda of his own. From Guillermo del Toro, the director and master creature designer behind Pan's Labyrinth, "The Shape of Water is a wonder to behold. Magical, thrilling and romantic to the core, a sensual and fantastical fairy tale with moral overtones, it’s a film that plays by all the rules and none of them, going its own way with fierce abandon"—Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times.
Before the film, dive into the wild world of ocean romance with science communicator and Maine Master Naturalist Serena Sanborn as she explores how mating works beneath the waves! From the seductive rituals of lobsters to the passionate embraces of squid and the synchronized spawning spectacles of corals, this talk unveils the dazzling courtship dances, daring mating strategies, and extraordinary ways marine animals ensure their legacy lives on. Whether you’re a curious naturalist or just in the mood for some cheeky fun, join Serena in discovering the quirky, captivating, and downright fascinating mysteries of underwater romance!
This film is eligible for the Youth Arts Access Fund. Call the Box Office at 207.873.7000 to obtain YAAF tickets. Pay it forward! Donate to YAAF here.
WATCH TRAILER >