“After almost 100 years on the planet,” says Sir David Attenborough, “I now understand the most important place on Earth is not on land, but at sea.” On the eve of his 99th birthday, the filmmaker and biologist unveils what he calls one of the most important projects of his career. His latest documentary focuses on the ocean, a necessary source of life that is threatened by climate change and on the verge of irreversible damage caused by mankind. Attenborough, who has spent a lifetime showcasing our extraordinary Earth, felt defeated upon learning just how endangered marine ecosystems have become. He reports this in the film and encourages us to act, offering a glimmer of hope: the ocean, he reveals, could recover faster than anybody thought possible. —Jeanne Malle

Ocean will be available globally on National Geographic, Disney+, and Hulu on June 8.