This week, we sat down with Scott Ressler, the producer and director of the National Geographic Society’s latest feature documentary film called “The Last Ice.”  Watch the full interview, and also the film’s beautiful trailer below.  It premieres on National Geographic Wild on Monday at 9 PM ET.

On the Film’s Genesis:

It started out being a typical wildlife and science documentary about sea ice melting and polar bears.  But very quickly it evolved into a film about communities and Inuit, who are rally trying to balance a traditional way of life with the future, which is completely unknown as the sea ice melts and you have all these outside entities coming in and trying to profit out of it.

On the Cold:

It was cold.  I like the cold, and I love the winter, but I don’t know cold.  I think minus 40 degrees was the coldest it was while I was out there…I did at one point lose some sensation in my toes…but that was solely due to not having the proper gear. What I found quickly was…the best thing to do is just to talk to the Inuit…cause they actually know because they live there. 

On the Most Incredible Thing: 

We were able to witness the annual cycle of the sea ice breaking up which is when all the wildlife starts coming in…to be able to be so close to not just one or two narwhals, but hundreds at a time. I realize that is something most people will never get to see and I hope the film will help bring that to everyone.

On the Fast-Changing Actic:

The Arctic is warming twice as fast as anywhere else on the planet.  And Inuit have been ringing the alarm bells about this for as long as the scientists.