Fathom

Drew Xanthopoulos’ second documentary, the Emmy-award winning Fathom, follows researchers Dr. Michelle Fournet and Dr. Ellen Garland as they attempt to listen to and understand the natural world — by being the first humans to establish two-way communication with humpback whales.

In 2022, Fathom won the Emmy for Outstanding Achievement in a Craft in News and Documentary Programming - Sound, and was also nominated for Outstanding Science and Technology Documentary.

Fathom “follows Dr. Ellen Garland and Dr. Michelle Fournet, two scientists focused on the study of humpback whale songs and social communication. As they embark on parallel research journeys on opposite sides of the world, they seek to better understand whale culture and communication. The documentary film uniquely reveals a deep commitment and reverence to the scientific process and the universal human need to seek answers about the world around us.” (Stefan Pipe)