“DOLPHIN ISLAND”
By Suzanne Mason
Have you ever dreamed about living in an island paradise, wondered how carefree life could be there?
Turns out even in the good life, trouble can find you and upend the good things you’ve got going. But it’s
how you handle it and who you have with you that make all the difference. That’s what Anna, a teenage
girl, learns in the new family-friend film “DOLPHIN ISLAND.” Created by Mike Disa (Space Dogs,
Hoodwinked Too!), the film stars Peter Woodward (The Patriot), Dionne Lea (No Bad Days), Bob
Bledsoe (Parks & Recreation), Tyler Jade Nixon (Dolphin Kick), and Anne Lovrien Duncan (People
Magazine Investigates).
In “DOLPHIN ISLAND,” 14-year-old Annabel moves to an island paradise to live with her fisherman
grandfather after the death of her parents. Together they build a life full of fun, family, and friendships,
including Anna’s connection with Mitzy, a bottlenose dolphin. Her life turns upside down when her
maternal grandparents, along with their scheming lawyer, come to the quiet island to try to take legal
custody of her—a notion requiring her to move to New York. Along with the help of her friends, Anna
takes matters into her own hands, eventually teaching everyone the meaning of love, family, and
friendship.
A movie that’s great for viewers of all ages, many may enjoy “DOLPHIN ISLAND” simply because of
Anna’s co-star Mitzy. I asked Annette Duncan, who portrays Annabel’s grandmother Sheryl, what it was
like having a dolphin as a costar. “They’re very intelligent and intuitive,” she explains. “Once they trust
you, they just want you to come into the water. They were faithful and on cue.” Mitzy is on cue in the
film too, acting the faithful friend and helping and protecting Anna when she needs her the most.
In addition to friendship, “DOLPHIN ISLAND” illustrates resilience in the face of adversity, a timely
message now as much as ever. I asked Duncan what type of role model she hopes Anna can be for kids
watching the film. “Even though suffering and tragedy, and certainly tension and difficulty, are a part of
life sometimes, none of those things have to define who you are as an individual,” she explains. “Even
though at one point Anna’s natural inclination was to escape from the pain, once she realized escaping
was not the right thing to do, she realized she needed to settle herself into the arms of the ones who love
her. She returned with joy. She chose joy—a deliberate choice for a role model for a lot of young people.”
Perhaps you can relate to Anna at the moment: emotionally overwhelmed, worried, life in upheaval,
robbed of joy. But the message of “DOLPHIN ISLAND” is that there’s something more. “Characters
choose faith in the midst of the world falling apart,” Duncan told me. “You don’t need trust or faith if
everything’s working out the way it’s supposed to. That’s how we grow as individuals, together as
families, and pass on the legacy that God is always faithful. I hope this film sparks enough of that for
others.”
“DOLPHIN ISLAND” is available on DVD, VOD, and streaming platforms now. For more information,
please visit www.dolphinislandmovie.com.
