Environmentalists say that beneath the surface of the oceans lies a finely-balanced, living world of sound, most of which humans never hear.

Yet to whales, dolphins and other marine life, sound means survival, the key to how they navigate, find mates, hunt for food, communicate over vast distances and protect themselves against predators in waters dark and deep.

The oceans, however, have become vast junkyards of industrial noise – from commercial shipping to military sonar and seismic blasts that test for oil and gas. The seas have become so loud, in places, that these great animals are drowning in noise that threatens their health, their future and their very lives.

Today, Solar Cinema, a mobile cinema which is powered entirely by solar energy, will be screening a film that documents this shattering underwater peril.

Sonic Sea calls on viewers to turn down the volume before it’s too late.

The award-winning film is narrated by Oscar-nominated actress Rachel McAdams. It features interviews with the Grammy award-winning musician and environmental activist Sting, as well as renowned oceanographic explorers and educators Sylvia Earle and Jean-Michel Cousteau.

Sonic Sea is being screened at the Malta National Aquarium, St Paul’s Bay, today  at 8.30pm. For more information, visit www.solarcinema.org or their Facebook page.