Rob Stewart (filmmaker): Difference between revisions

{{Use mdy dates|date=FebruaryDecember 20172019}}

| name = Rob Stewart

| image = Rob stewart cfc 2012.jpg

| image_upright = .79

| caption = Stewart c.in 2012

| birth_date = {{birth date|1979|12|28}}

| birth_place = [[Toronto]], [[Ontario]], Canada

| death_date ={{circa}} {{death date and age|2017|01|31|1979|12|28}}

| death_place = [[Alligator Reef]], [[Florida]], U.S.

| death_cause = [[Drowning]]

| occupation = [[Photographer]], [[Filmmaking|filmmaker]]

'''Rob Stewart''' (December 28, 1979&nbsp;– {{circa}} January 31, 2017) was a Canadian [[photographer]], [[Filmmaking|filmmaker]] and [[conservation biology|conservationist]]. He was best known for making and directing the documentary films ''[[Sharkwater]]'' and ''[[Revolution (2012 film)|Revolution]]''. He dieddrowned at the age of 37 in awhile scuba diving incident while in [[Florida]], filming ''[[Sharkwater Extinction]]''.<ref name=cbc>[{{cite web |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/rob-stewart-found-dead-1.3965360 "|title=Canadian filmmaker Rob Stewart reportedly found dead, U.S. Coast Guard says"]. |website=[[CBC News]], |first=Andrea |last=Janus |date=February 3, 2017.}}</ref>

Stewart was born in 1979, in [[Toronto]], [[Ontario]], where he was raised, the son of Sandra and Brian Stewart.<ref name="RS Bio">{{cite web|url=http://www.sharkwater.com/Rob_Stewart_Biography.htm|title=Rob Stewart biography|publisher=www.sharkwater.com|year=2007|accessdateaccess-date=August 26, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.macleans.ca/into-the-deep/ |title=Into the deep |first=Nicholas |last=Hune-Brown |website=Maclean's}}</ref> He began [[underwater photography]] as a teenager, and became a scuba- diving trainer at eighteen years old. He attended both [[Lawrence Park Collegiate Institute]] and [[Crescent School (Toronto)|Crescent School]] in Toronto as a youth.<ref name="RS Bio"/>

For four years, Stewart worked aswas chief photographer for the [[Canadian Wildlife Federation]]'s magazines, and worked as a [[Freelancer|freelance journalist]]. He won awards for his journalism. He held a [[bachelor's degree]] in biology from the [[University of Western Ontario]], and studied zoology and marine biology in [[Kenya]] and [[Jamaica]].<ref name="RS Bio"/>

Stewart got the idea to make the movie ''[[Sharkwater]]'' at age 22, when he found illegal [[longline fishing]] in the [[Galapagos Marine Reserve]].<ref name="RS Bio"/> He travelled through fifteen countries for the next four years, studying and filming sharks, and going undercover to confront the [[shark fin industry]].<ref name="RS Bio"/> ''Sharkwater'' went on to win more than 40 awards at top film festivals.<ref>[http://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/rob-stewart-wildlife-filmmaking-1.3962233 'He created a great momentum for sharks worldwide': Rob Stewart's powerful filmmaking]. [[CBC News]], February 1, 2017.</ref> His follow-up film, 2012's ''[[Revolution (2012 film)|Revolution]]'', builds on ''Sharkwater'', examining [[environmental collapse]]. In 2013, it was the highest grossing Canadian documentary, and it received 19 awards from global film festivals.<ref name=cbc/>

In 2016, Stewart launched a [[Kickstarter]] to fund ''Sharkwater: Extinction'', a sequel to ''Sharkwater'' that would focus on the 80 million [[sharks]] killed per year that are unaccounted for by scientists. He was working on the film at the time of his death.<ref>[http://www.tribute.ca/news/canadian-filmmaker-rob-stewart-launches-kickstarter-campaign-for-sharkwater-extinction/2016/06/21/ "Canadian filmmaker Rob Stewart launches Kickstarter campaign for Sharkwater: Extinction"]. ''[[Tribute (magazine)|Tribute]]'', June 21, 2016.</ref>

Stewart won more than 40 international awards for ''Sharkwater'' and 19 for ''Revolution''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/canadian-filmmaker-rob-stewart-confirmed-dead-1.3967284|title=Canadian filmmaker Rob Stewart found dead 'peacefully in the ocean'|date=February 3, 2017|accessdateaccess-date=February 5, 2017|work website=[[CBC News]] |agency=[[The Canadian Press]]}}</ref>

''Sharkwater'' earned Stewart the Best Documentary and the Audience Favorite Award at the 2006 Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival, the People's Choice Award at the 2006 [[Atlantic Film Festival]] and a Special Jury Award at the 2006 [[Hawaii International Film Festival]], and the film was selected by the [[Toronto International Film Festival Group]] as one of the top ten Canadian films of 2006.<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=http://www.tribute.ca/magazines/tribute/0207/sharkwater.htm|title=Feature: Sharkwater|workmagazine=[[Tribute (magazine)|Tribute]]|date=February 2006}}</ref> In 2007, his film won the Audience and Best Feature awards at the Gen Art Film festival.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2007/film/markets-festivals/sharkwater-takes-top-prizes-at-gen-art-1117963431|title='Sharkwater' takes top prizes at Gen Art|first=Addie|last=Morfoot|date=April 17, 2007|accessdateaccess-date=February 4, 2017|work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]}}</ref>

In 2008, he received a [[Genie Awards]] nomination for Best Documentary.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/2008/01/28/2008_genie_nominees.html|title=2008 Genie Nominees|work=[[Toronto Star]]|date=January 28, 2008|accessdateaccess-date=February 4, 2017}}</ref> He received a [[Genesis Awards|Genesis Award]] for Outstanding Documentary,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abandonfear.com/index.php/2008/07/29/sharkwater-wins-a-genesis-award|title=Rob Stewart wins a Genesis Award for ''Sharkwater''|publisher=www.abandonfear.com|date=July 29, 2008|accessdateaccess-date=August 27, 2008}}</ref> and an Environmental Vision award at the 35th annual Vision awards in 2008, held in [[Los Angeles]].<ref name="Death1">{{cite web|url=http://news.nationalpost.com/news/world/search-for-canadian-filmmaker-missing-since-florida-dive-suspended-after-body-found|title=Rob Stewart, Canadian filmmaker who vanished during Florida dive, found dead|workagency=[[The Canadian Press]]|viawork=NationalPost.comNational Post|date=February 4, 2017|accessdateaccess-date=February 4, 2017}}</ref>

In late January 2017, Stewart was in Florida filming ''[[Sharkwater Extinction]]'', a sequel to ''Sharkwater''. On January 31, he and his dive partner resurfaced from a deep wreck dive of the ''[[HMCS Canada#Queen of Nassau|Queen of Nassau]]''. His dive leader Peter Sotis fell unconscious while boarding the crew's boat, and as the ship team rushed to provide assistance, Stewart, who was still in the water, vanished.<ref>[http://www.metronews.ca/news/toronto/2017/02/01/rob-stewart-sharkwater-florida-dive.html Update: Rob Stewart vanished while boat crew rushed to aid dive partner] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170203175621/http://www.metronews.ca/news/toronto/2017/02/01/rob-stewart-sharkwater-florida-dive.html? |date=February 3, 2017 }}, ''[[Metro International|Metro]]'', February 1, 2017.</ref> [[Paul Watson]], a marine wildlife conservation and an environmental activist and friend of Stewart's, noted that he had been using a [[rebreather]], which could have rendered him unconscious as well.<ref>[{{cite web|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/us-coast-guard-to-suspend-search-for-toronto-filmmaker-rob-stewart/article33899274/ |title=Toronto filmmaker Rob Stewart found dead: U.S. Coast Guard]. ''|website=[[The Globe and Mail]]'', February 3, 2017.</ref> A search was launched, and on February 3, the [[United States Coast Guard]] confirmed that Stewart's body had been located in the water approximately {{convert|200|ft}} down, close to the spot on the surface from which he had disappeared. The cause of death was unclear initially.<ref>[http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/canadian-documentary-maker-missing-florida-keys-970904 "Canadian Director Found Dead in the Florida Keys"]. ''[[The Hollywood Reporter]]'', date=February 3, 2017.</ref><ref name="Death">{{cite web |urlfirst=http://news.nationalpost.com/news/world/search-for-canadian-filmmaker-missing-since-florida-dive-suspended-after-body-found|title=RobBrad Stewart, Canadian filmmaker who vanished during Florida dive, found dead|worklast=[[The Canadian Press]]|via=[[National Post]]|date=February 4, 2017|accessdate=February 4, 2017Wheeler}}</ref> Stewart's funeral was held at [[Bloor Street United Church]] in Toronto on February 18, 2017. Released months later, the autopsy report from the Monroe County medical examiner stated that Stewart had died from drowning after succumbing to acute lack of oxygen ([[Hypoxia (medical)|Hypoxia]]) at the surface of the ocean.<ref>[http://amp.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/florida-keys/article165989352.html]</ref>

Stewart was working on a sequel film, ''[[Sharkwater Extinction]]'', at the time of his death.<ref>[{{cite web |url=https://etcanada.com/news/326890/teaser-from-the-late-rob-stewarts-third-film-sharkwater-extinction-released/ "|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180511173818/https://etcanada.com/news/326890/teaser-from-the-late-rob-stewarts-third-film-sharkwater-extinction-released/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 11, 2018 |title=Teaser From The Late Rob Stewart’sStewart's Third Film ‘Sharkwater'Sharkwater: Extinction’Extinction' Released"]. ''|website=[[ET Canada]]'', |date=May 11, 2018. |first=Kate |last=Morawetz}}</ref> Using footage already shot by Stewart as well as his written comments,<ref>[{{cite web| url=http://www.business.uwindsor.ca/dailynews/2018-08-23/new-prof-has-film-premiering-tiff] |title=New UWindsor prof's shark doc premiering at TIFF |date=23 August 2018 | first=Dylan |last=Kristy |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180910014847/http://www.business.uwindsor.ca/dailynews/2018-08-23/new-prof-has-film-premiering-tiff |archive-date=10 September 2018}}</ref> the movie was completed by film and story editor [[Nick Hector]] and by director, documentary film maker [[Sturla Gunnarsson]] for the Rob Stewart Foundation. It premiered at the [[2018 Toronto International Film Festival]] in September, as a "Special Event" screening that also incorporated a memorial tribute to Stewart and his legacy; the official release date was set for October 5.<ref>[{{cite web| url=https://betawww.theglobeandmail.com/amp/arts/film/article-tiff-2018-sharkwater-extinction-and-the-legacy-of-rob-stewart/] |title=TIFF 2018: Sharkwater Extinction and the legacy of Rob Stewart |website = The Globe and Mail | date=5 September 2018 |first=Brad |last=Wheeler}}</ref><ref>[{{cite web| url=https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/movies/2018/08/01/sharkwater-sequel-and-end-of-arcands-empire-trilogy-coming-to-tiff.html "|title=Sharkwater sequel and end of Arcand’sArcand's Empire trilogy coming to TIFF"]. ''| website=[[Toronto Star]]'', |date=August 1, 2018. |first=Peter |last=Howell}}</ref> His mother Sandy Stewart said about the completion of the film that "[the] entire team stayed with it, everybody stepped up. We have people from all over the world —– cinematographers, filmmakers, really important people —– offering to help finish this, and that was really heartwarming."<ref>[{{cite web |url=https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/tiff/2018/09/07/sharkwater-extinction-carries-on-late-filmmaker-rob-stewarts-vision-say-his-parents.html |title=Sharkwater Extinction carries on late filmmaker Rob Stewart’sStewart's vision, say his parents]. ''|website=[[Toronto Star]]'', |date= September 7, 2018. | first =Victoria |last=Ahearn | agency = [[The Canadian Press]]}}</ref>

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