This is the story of the most extraordinary and audacious experiment in the history of animal science. It was carried out by visionary 1960s neuroscientist John Lilly, who had a remarkable ambition; to communicate with dolphins by teaching them to speak English. The experiment was seized upon by NASA, who were embarking on the first serious search for extra-terrestrial intelligence beyond the Earth. When they detected a signal from ET, they would need to understand how to communicate with a species other than humans. Here, without leaving the planet, was the opportunity to practice such inter-species communication. But what started with ‘60s idealism would spiral into the darkness of the decade, and end in tragedy, with rumours and scandal about drug abuse and a sexual relationship between Peter and Margaret. Fifty years on, this film tells the real story of just what happened at the Dolphin House.

Bertie Gregory heads to the Azores, a remote island chain in the Atlantic Ocean. Surrounded by Europe’s largest marine protected area, these waters are a vital stop for migrating predators, drawn here by rich feeding grounds. It’s the perfect time for Bertie to capture a rare natural spectacle—when elusive predators unite to hunt dense shoals of fish called bait balls. But with unpredictable storms, filming won’t be easy. During his journey, Bertie also explores the region’s dark history of marine exploitation. By meeting an ex-whaler turned whale spotter, he discovers how the end of whaling transformed the Azores into a sanctuary, allowing marine life to return and delicate food chains to thrive.