If all you know about oysters is that they taste great on a cracker with cocktail sauce, read on.
Actually, oysters are Nature’s amazing filtration experts that purify our water and make coastal areas habitable for a host of other species. So, it should alarm you to know that over the last three decades, 90% of the world’s ancient oyster reefs have collapsed due to human pressure, including pollution, overharvesting, and reduced freshwater flow.
A new internationally acclaimed documentary by a pair of Tallahassee filmmakers makes the case that it’s not too late to save oysters – and our future may just depend on it.
Unfiltered: The Truth About Oysters will make its broadcast debut on all Florida PBS stations on Jan. 15, 2025, at 8 PM. The film dives deep into the causes of the collapse of Florida’s ancient wild oyster reefs and the environmental urgency of saving them.
The airing comes at the start of a year when the State will decide whether to reopen the Apalachicola oyster beds, which have been closed since 2020.
Unfiltered has won recognition at more than 30 film festivals worldwide, winning 11 prestigious awards, including multiple “Best Documentary” honors in the U.S. and abroad, as well as a Suncoast Regional EMMY Award.
“Oysters are more than a food; they are the silent protectors of our water, and a keystone species that holds the entire coastal ecosystem together.” said Josh McLawhorn, the film’s director. “This film reveals the alarming truth about oysters’ decline and showcases the extraordinary efforts underway to restore these indispensable ecosystems.”
Yet, as Unfiltered shows, the fate of these reefs is not sealed. The film highlights groundbreaking restoration efforts, from artificial reefs and shell recycling to aquaculture, that could save Florida’s oyster populations and restore balance to marine ecosystems.
As Florida battles toxic red tide, shoreline erosion, and declining marine biodiversity, Unfiltered underscores the urgent need to harness both cutting-edge technology and nature-based solutions.
Produced by Tallahassee filmmakers Chucha Barber and directed by Josh McLawhorn, Unfiltered represents a collaboration of passionate storytellers dedicated to illuminating environmental issues.
“The conditions that led to the catastrophic decline of Florida’s oyster beds are complex, but one thing is simple – the critical role oysters play in protecting the ecosystems that sustain us,” said Barber. “This important movie provides a blueprint for restoring Florida’s coasts.”
After its broadcast debut on PBS on Jan. 15, 2025 at 8PM, the film will be streamed on PBS Passport. The trailer can be seen at oyster.film.
