New College to Screen Documentary “Shored Up” and Host Discussion with Director

Ben Kalina had been working for three years on a film about the fragility of oceanfront communities, but he lacked that “hook” – the imagery and statement that would sell the film to an audience.
Then superstorm Sandy thrashed the New Jersey shore, flooded Manhattan and sent Kalina back to film the “after” shots of the places he had already visited.
The result is his documentary, “Shored Up,” which will be screened at New College of Florida at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, November 5, in Sainer Pavilion. Following the movie, there will be a question and answer session with Kalina and New College’s Frank Alcock and Jono Miller.
Alcock, associate professor of political science, is an expert in the intersection of government policy and marine science. Miller, the former director of the College’s Environmental Studies Program, has been studying the region’s coastal environment for decades and is active in restoration efforts.
The movie is presented in cooperation with The Union of Concerned Scientists, The Science and Environment Council of Southwest Florida and The Rising Seas Initiative. David Shafer, founder of the Rising Seas Initiative and executive director of the Science and Environment Council of Southwest Florida, called the film a “wake-up call for Southwest Florida, considering how much of our population and tax base is on the coast.”
“Shored Up” began as an examination of conflicts over beach renourishment programs along the Jersey Shore. As Kalina researched and filmed, it expanded into an exploration of the political conflicts and personal stakes of communities along the shore, with insights from scientists, politicians and residents to expose major shortcomings in coastal management and the immediate need for change. In the aftermath of Sandy, the film was noted in The New York Times and other publications for its prescience.
The movie’s running time is 84 minutes, and the discussion follows immediately after. Admission is free but reservations are required; visit https://donate.ncf.edu/film-screening-shored-up or call 487-4888.