20:00, 29 January 2026
Words by Cheyanne Bryan, Editorial and Campaign Marketing Executive, London
In an age when much of the ocean’s drama unfolds far from public view, Where Devils Return offers a rare and quietly powerful glimpse into a world worth fighting for.
Released today by the Manta Trust, this short documentary turns its lens on the endangered Sicklefin devil rays that return each summer to Ambrósio Seamount, off Santa Maria in the Azores – and on the people determined to ensure they keep coming back.
At just 13 minutes, the film wastes no time in immersing viewers beneath the surface. Through elegant underwater cinematography, we witness the rays’ slow, balletic movements and their surprising curiosity towards divers.
Yet this is not spectacle for spectacle’s sake. Anchored by the work of Ana Filipa Sobral and her Manta Catalog Azores team, the documentary is as much about patient science as it is about beauty.
Ana’s presence grounds the film in lived experience. Her reflections on the privilege of encountering such a rare and threatened species carry weight precisely because they are hard-earned. These animals, after all, face mounting pressure from fisheries, bycatch and poorly managed tourism.
The film does not shy away from these realities, instead using them to underline why protection matters now.
Crucially, Where Devils Return also points towards solutions. By introducing the Devil Ray Code of Conduct, developed with the Manta Trust, it argues that respectful human behaviour in the water is not a constraint, but a necessity. Conservation, research and tourism, the film suggests, can coexist – but only if guided by care and responsibility.
As the final instalment in an eight-part series documenting the 2025 Azores Devil Ray Research Expedition, this documentary feels like both a culmination and a call to action. It reminds us that wonder alone will not save endangered species. Attention, understanding and collective responsibility might.
Watch the full film here:
Watch the film when live here:
