Fathom (2021 film)

Fathom is a 2021 American documentary film, directed by Drew Xanthopoulos. It follows two researchers of humpback whales who study their communication and how it evolves across oceans and continents.

Fathom
Official poster
Directed by	Drew Xanthopoulos
Produced by	Megan Gilbride
Starring	Michelle Fournet Ellen Garland
Cinematography	Drew Xanthopoulos
Edited by	Robin Schwartz
Music by	Hanan Townshend
Production companies	Sandbox Films Impact Partners Walking Upstream Pictures Back Allie Entertainment Hidden Candy
Distributed by	Apple TV+
Release dates	June 16, 2021 (2021-06-16) (Tribeca) June 25, 2021 (2021-06-25) (United States)
Running time	87 minutes[1]
Country	United States
Language	English

It had its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival on June 16, 2021. It was released on June 25, 2021, by Apple TV+.

Synopsis

Dr. Michelle Fournet [Wikidata] and Dr. Ellen Garland [Wikidata], lead research on humpback whales in Alaska and French Polynesia, respectively, where they study the communication of the whales and how it evolves across oceans and continents.

Release

In April 2021, Apple TV+ acquired worldwide distribution rights to the film, and set it for a June 25, 2021, release.^[2] It had its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival on June 16, 2021.^[3] It also screened at AFI DOCS on June 23, 2021.^[4][5]

Critical reception

Fathom holds a 50% approval rating on review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, based on 16 reviews, with a weighted average of 7/10.^[6] On Metacritic, the film holds a rating of 67 out of 100, based on eight critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.^[7]