SANCTUM – Debuts in Gainesville, Florida honors Wes Skiles

Lara Hickox Sanctum producer Andrew Wight stands in front of a mobile movie trailer at the premiere of the movie in Gainesville, Fla. Wednesday, Feb. 2. The movie was debuted in Florida in honor of the late Wes Skiles, an underwater cave diver who got caught in a cave along with Wight during a bad storm. The movie is loosely based on their experience.

Scuba divers know the number one rule of the art: don’t hold your breath.

But scuba diver Eileen Ahlquist, a Gainesville resident, had to remind herself to breathe while watching the preview screening for the new Universal Pictures film, Sanctum.

“Since the film is in 3D, you feel like you’re there,” Ahlquist said. “I kept making myself breathe.”

Ahlquist was among 238 people who attended the sold-out benefit screening for the film, held at the Regal Royal Park Stadium 16 theatre in Gainesville Wednesday night, Feb. 2.

The benefit was held to honor the late Wes Skiles, a famed cave diver and High Springs resident. The benefit supported one of his biggest passions: protecting Florida’s natural spring waters. Proceeds from the screening went to two springs projects of the non-profit Florida’s Eden, the Howard T. Odum Florida Springs Institute and the Blue Path Campaign.

“If Wes was here, he’d be bouncing around with his eyes all big,” Jim “Jimbo” Skiles, Wes’s brother, said.

Skiles was a part of the expedition that inspired the film’s story. He and Andrew Wight, the film’s producer and co-writer, were exploring the Nullarbor Plain in Australia when part of their team, including Skiles, became trapped in the cave after a storm flooded it.

“It took two days to get everyone out,” Wight said in a speech to the audience before the film was shown.

Wight had the film dedicated to Skiles, who also helped Wight and James Cameron film the underwater 3D footage that was used to pitch the film’s concept to Universal Pictures executives.

The 12 minutes of unseen footage, shot in Ginnie Springs, near High Springs, were shown in the beginning of the benefit screening.

The Sanctum 3D mobile experience bus was parked in front of the theater from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. The bus, free for all to enter, contained a small theater with 91 seats. Visitors were given 3D glasses and treated to a 12-minute clip, psyching up both benefit attendees and others for the film.

“I just want to see how it ends,” said 9-year-old Michael Ahlquist as he walked out of the mobile bus. “I can’t bear the wait.”

The benefit screening began at 7:30 p.m. with speeches from the directors at the Springs Institute and Florida Blue Path, Wight and Jim Skiles.

Sanctum shares the tale of a cave diving team on an expedition that goes awry. A cyclone comes ashore while the divers are exploring the cave, flooding it with water. The team must find an escape to sea before they run out of oxygen and supplies.

Many of the divers at the benefit marveled at its accurate description of cave diving.

“For Hollywood, it was pretty realistic,” said Scott Jantz, a Gainesville cave diver.

High Springs cave diver Jill Heinerth, one of the divers filmed in the 12-minute footage, applauded the film’s technology.

“I have the same kind of rebreather as in the film,” Heinerth said.

Parker Small, a Gainesville resident, said the “awesome” film would hopefully increase awareness for the organizations the benefit supported.

“I’m very grateful to all involved, and it gives me a little hope for the future [of our springs],” Small said.

Sanctum opens in theaters nationwide Feb. 4.

TV show about movie is online, will be broadcast

The Hollywood 3-D movie “Sanctum,” based loosely on an experience by the late Wes Skiles of High Springs, will be discussed in a special National Geographic show set for 5 p.m. today, Thursday, Feb. 3.

Called “Sanctum, The Real Story,” the show will be aired on the National Geographic Channel.

The show also can be viewed online for free at:

http://www.TinyUrl.com/6gn85nn

Source: Northfloridaherald