Eco-documentary Screening + Conversation
“City of Shells: Our Forgotten Oyster Reefs” 香江遺礁 and “Breathing Room”白海豚失樂園
Date: Thursday, 23 October 2025
Time: 18:30 – 20:00 (film screening); 20:00-20:30 (Q&A)
Venue: Asian Center Auditorium, University of British Columbia
Address: 1871 West Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z2 | Map | Parking
The program features two eco-documentaries about Hong Kong that walk us through the often-forgotten nature of the “concrete jungle.”
City of Shells: Our Forgotten Oyster Reefs 香江遺礁, directed by Mike Sakas, uncovers the history of oyster reefs in Hong Kong and highlights the Oyster Reef Restoration Project led by The Nature Conservancy (Hong Kong).
Breathing Room 白海豚失樂園, directed by Daphne Wong and produced in partnership with the Hong Kong Dolphin Conservation Society, explores the plight of the Chinese white dolphin, the 1997 handover mascot whose population has since sharply declined.
Together, the two films reveal how Hong Kong is more than a financial city but also a dazzling node of biodiversity.<
Following the screenings, Marine Thomas, Associate Director of Conservation at The Nature Conservancy Hong Kong, and Viena Mak, Vice-Chairperson of the Hong Kong Dolphin Conservation Society, will join us virtually for a Q&A session. The discussion will provide insights into the ecological protection efforts of environmental NGOs in Hong Kong and across Asia.
The films will be shown in their original languages with English subtitles. The post-screening discussion will be conducted in English, with on-site interpretation provided for those wishing to ask questions in Cantonese and Mandarin.
Free admission. All are welcome.
Registration required.
About the documentaries:
City of Shells: Our Forgotten Oyster Reefs 香江遺礁
Directed by Mike Sakas | English | 66 mins | 2025
Synopsis
Through historical research and scientific exploration, City of Shells: Our Forgotten Oyster Reefs unveils how oysters shaped the Pearl River Delta’s development—diving deeper into the socio-cultural ties between oysters and coastal communities, the lime industry that fuelled early infrastructure across the region and the thriving marine ecosystems that once flourished beneath its waters.
Trailer
About the Community Partner and the Speaker
The Nature Conservancy’s (TNC) vision is a world where people and nature thrive together. To achieve this positive vision of the future, we need to recognize the unprecedented challenges that affect global communities, and work together to find new ways to help nature thrive while securing a more prosperous future for people. TNC is committed to protecting land and water at unparalleled scales, tackling climate change, providing food and water sustainably for a growing population, building healthy cities, and connecting people and nature.
Marine Thomas is Associate Director of Conservation for The Nature Conservancy (TNC) Hong Kong. She is responsible for overseeing TNC’s marine conservation projects on the ground, with a current focus on restoring natural habitats and developing sustainable oyster aquaculture.
Breathing Room 白海豚失樂園
Directed by Daphne Wong | Cantonese | 30 mins | 2018
Synopsis
Breathing Room, directed by Daphne Wong, is a half-hour documentary on the plight of the Chinese White Dolphin in Hong Kong. The film brings to light the research and conservation work that is being done to save them, and discusses the implications of habitat loss due to continuous coastal developments for these iconic pink dolphins.
Trailer
About the Community Partner and the Speaker
Hong Kong Dolphin Conservation Society (HKDCS) was established in December 2003 and it is the only non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation of whales, dolphins, and porpoises of Hong Kong. Through scientific research and educating the public, HKDCS hopes to protect the local dolphins and porpoises residing in Hong Kong waters.
Viena Mak Hei-man is Vice-chairperson of Hong Kong Dolphin Conservation Society. Viena is from Macau and moved to Hong Kong for her undergraduate education in Environmental Science. She has worked as a research associate to monitor cetaceans in Hong Kong and adjacent waters for 12 years. Since 2015, she became one of the committee members at HKDCS where she began the journey of education and conservation works to promote the protection of the marine mammals and their habitats.
This event is co-presented by the Sustainability Initiative of the Department of Asian Studies and the UBC Hong Kong Studies Initiative; sponsored by the Workplace Sustainability Fund from the UBC Sustainability Hub.
Registration for “Eco-documentary Screening + Conversation: “City of Shells: Our Forgotten Oyster Reefs” and “Breathing Room”
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