The Lindsay Theater in Sewickley to take moviegoers on an 'Antarctic Voyage'

As part of its Emerging Filmmakers Series, The Lindsay Theater and Cultural Center in Sewickley will show “Antarctic Voyage,” a documentary by award-winning director Kevin Schreck.

The film is a chronicle of a 2023 biological research expedition to the island of South Georgia, which is situated in the South Atlantic Ocean east of the Falkland Islands. Schreck joined a crew of scientists led by Dr. Samantha Monier on the remote journey, finding creatures great and small in a sometimes alien-feeling land.

Schreck, a native of Minnesota, came to Robert Morris University directly after shooting “Antarctic Voyage” for a teaching artist residency. It was during his time at the Moon Township college that the film came together.

“It was a terrific opportunity at a very special time. I was there for the whole fall semester as the visiting documentary filmmaker, which entailed my teaching a class for some of the more seasoned filmmaking students of RMU,” Schreck said.

That special timing also meant a bit of a rush — he had less than two weeks between his return from South Georgia Island to moving to Pittsburgh for several months. Still, he spent his time locally doing more than teaching; he also had the project of “Antarctic Voyage” to pull together.

The films origins go back to the late 2010s, when college friend Samantha Monier reached out about adding a more accessible multimedia element to her doctoral research in the Antarctic.

“To get the grant money from the National Science Foundation, they wanted a broader impact element to the grant,” Schreck said. “Sam’s idea was to hire me as a documentary filmmaker, and that sealed the deal with the National Science Foundation.”

Schreck “jumped at the chance,” but it took a few years for the expedition to become reality. Finally, in the summer of 2023, they set out on the “Antarctic voyage.”

Schreck was the only official member of the film crew and much of his gear was lost by the airline, so the already shoestring-budget project became even more inventive.

“It was definitely a scrappy, hands-on, low-budget indie project, but that’s normally how I make these things,” he said.

His chilly, outdoorsy Land of a Thousand Lakes upbringing came back to him while filming on a boat in the frigid South Atlantic.

“Thankfully, I did not get seasick,” he said.

It was important to Schreck to give an honest portrait of a once-in-a-lifetime experience through his lens. “I think I allowed that in a more accessible, pragmatic way because it’s literally from the POV of being on the ship, for the most part,” he said.

It was important to him that he reveal the “aesthetic value of science,” acknowledging how important research is to every facet of our lives while also being beautiful and meaningful.

“Just exploring the natural world and being respectful of the kinship we have with other species … it doesn’t need to save the world for it to be special,” he said.

In addition to “very charismatic penguins,” the film includes seals, whales and other birds. But there are also crustaceans, amphipods, jellies, squids and more.

“I’m a huge animal and nature nerd, have been my entire life. But we encountered species I didn’t even know existed,” he said. “It’s the closest I think that I’ll ever get to an alien planet.”

Schreck currently resides in Brooklyn, N.Y., but will be at The Lindsay Theater for the screening on April 3. The screening of “Antarctic Voyage” will also be introduced by two of his short films, “Aberrations of Light” and “The Duck of New York.”

“The Lindsay’s Emerging Filmmakers Showcases give independent artists the opportunity to share their work with new audiences. We provide everything needed for a full screening event at no cost to the filmmaker,” said Lindsay Theater CEO Carolina Thor. “We’re very excited about Antarctic Voyage and having Kevin back at The Lindsay for another one of his insightful documentaries.”

For tickets and to learn more about the screening, visit thelindsaytheater.org.