VIDEO REVIEW
Making an Ordinary Life
an Extraordinary Experience
Follow Ellen Cuylaerts from overcoming her fear of
water to becoming a shark advocate and defender
EPIPHANY IS A real life story
about conquering fear and
protecting endangered animals,
seen through the eyes of a wildlife
photographer and mother of an
autistic family.
As this magazine was going
to press, the film’s creator
Michael Maes was thrilled to inform us that Epiphany
won the category “Best Documentary Feature” at
the Ridgefield Independent Film Festival.
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FROM COMPUTERS TO CINEMATOGRAPHY
Michael is a successful wildlife filmmaker, specialising
in big animals and animal behaviour. His portfolio,
both underwater and topside, spans the polar
regions, temperate waters and the tropics. He has a
passionate interest in polar bears and Arctic whales.
Ending a career in IT, in 2012, he followed his
passion and moved to full-time cinematography.
His work has been broadcast on various national
television channels, including National Geographic
Wild Wild, Outside Television and CBC, and he has
received recognition at numerous international
film festivals.
Michael realised the impact of storytelling through
pictures and film and uses this platform to bring
awareness of the remarkable wildlife realm to the
broader public. At the heart of his films are the
beauty and fragility of our blue planet; from the