Call Us Ishmael

The story of a book and the people who love it. Each and every year hundreds of people flock to New Bedford, MA in bleak mid-winter to partake in a celebration like none other. They read this single book out loud over the course of two full days without stopping. All of these people have one thing in common: they are obsessed with 'Moby-Dick', the book that most call the Great American Novel. Its that book that everyone knows, but probably hasn't read. Herman Melville's masterwork has an intimidating reputation and a cult following. This is the first film dedicated to meeting the people who keep the legacy of the text alive. Call us Ishmael chronicles filmmaker David Shaerf's journey into the world of Herman Melville's 'Moby-Dick'. Throughout his quest he encounters artists, musicians, professors and performers, all of whom are singularly seeking the White Whale.