Sophie Hyde’s Oyster Project

As part of the development for a new film project, acclaimed director Sophie Hyde (Good Luck to you Leo Grande, Jimpa) is exploring the work of local scientists and underwater cinematographers who are recording the impacts of the algal bloom on the South Australian coastline and working to build new oyster reefs that will support the recovery of affected areas.

Part of this research is testing ways of presenting the underwater experience visually and aurally, helping audiences connect with the beauty, complexity and devastation beneath the surface.

Working alongside the Great Southern Reef Foundation, marine restoration scientist Dr Dominic McAfee (Adelaide University) and other artists, Sophie will use her time in the pod to explore how to show the destruction and regeneration in the context of a cinematic work. She will also further interrogate how her fictional characters and story will develop alongside the real-world elements.

Part of Nature Festival 2026