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Winners Announced for 16th Annual International Ocean Film Festival with Showings in San Francisco and Marin

Media contact: David Perry & Associates, Inc. (415) 676-7007 / news@davidperry.com 

Winners Announced for 16th Annual International Ocean Film Festival
with Showings in San Francisco and Marin
March 7 -– 10, 2019


11 Films Receive Honors for Superior Work in Fields of  Environmental Awareness, Animation, Wildlife, Coastal Conservation, Citizen Science, Sports & Adventure and Short Subjects

www.intloceanfilmfest.org

13 February 2019 – San Francisco, CA: Amidst a virtual sea of cinematic talent, San Francisco’s International Ocean Film Festival (www.intloceanfilmfest.org) has selected 11 films for special honors at this year’s 16th annual showcase, March 7 – 10. The award-winners recognize works highlightingenvironmental awareness, animation, wildlife, coastal conservation, citizen science, sports & adventure and short subjects. The annual awards are handed out at the end of each program at which the winner’s film is screened 

“Every year brings a greater awareness of our ocean heritage, and every year brings fresh, new talent to our screens,” said Ana Blanco, Executive Director for the International Ocean Film Festival. “This year’s stand out films offer a truly international perspective with films from the Netherlands, Canada, the United Kingdom and the US.”

Since its launch in 2004, the San Francisco-based International Ocean Film Festival has attracted thousands of spectators of all ages from around the world, including film enthusiasts, sea athletes, educators, and environmental supporters. Since then, the Festival has presented on average over 50 films annually from 15 different countries and featured post-film Q&A sessions with visiting filmmakers, special panel discussions with content experts, and the Annual Free Student Education Program. It was the first event of its kind in North America, inspired by the well-established ocean festival in Toulon, France, Festival International du Film Maritime, which has continued to draw large audiences for more than 40 years. The International Ocean Film Festival is a registered 501(c) 3 non-profit.

Sponsors for the 16th Annual International Ocean Film Festival include National Marine Sanctuaries, the Canadian Consulate of San Francisco and Silicon Valley, BigBus of San Francisco, SSA, RBC Wealth Management, Port of San Francisco, Alcatraz Cruises, San Francisco Magazine, and Hyatt Hotels, the Premiere Hotel Sponsor for the Festival. 

Screenings take place in San Francisco at the Cowell Theatre in Fort Mason and at the Roxie; in Marin at the Smith Rafael Film Center. Below, the chronological schedule of winning films for the 16th International Ocean Film Festival:

PROGRAM #1 – Thursday, March 7 at 4pm 
(Cowell Theatre, Fort Mason, San Francisco)
Presented by NOAA

  • Living with the Oceans, Nicky Milne* (United Kingdom) 17 min – COASTAL CULTURE AWARD
  • Protecting Blue Whales and Blue Skies, Michael Hanrahan (USA) 8 min – SHORT AWARD
  • The Final Breach, Jess Webster (United Kingdom) 17 min – U.S. Premiere – SHORT AWARD

PROGRAM #2 – Thursday, March 7 at 7pm – OPENING NIGHT
(Cowell Theatre, Fort Mason, San Francisco)

Presented by the Consulate General of Canada 

  • Near Miss, Josh Berry* (USA) 12 min – Bay Area Premiere – GOLDEN GATE AWARD
  • Sharkwater Extinction, Rob Stewart (Canada) 87 min – Bay Area Premiere – CONSERVATION AWARD

—————–

PROGRAM #3 – Friday, March 8 at 1pm
(Cowell Theatre, Fort Mason, San Francisco)

Presented by the Port of San Francisco 

  • Dispatches from the Gulf 2: Research, Innovation, Discovery, Hal Weiner (USA) 57 min – Bay Area PremiereENVIRONMENT AWARD

PROGRAM #1, Friday, March 8 at 4pm (Smith Rafael Film Center – 1118 4th Street, San Rafael

  • The Blues Crab, Ari Rubenstein* (USA) 14 min – Bay Area Premiere – ANIMATION AWARD
  • Manry at Sea: In the Wake of a Dream, Steve Wystrach (USA) 94 min – Bay Area Premiere – ADVENTURE/OCEAN SPORTS AWARD 

—————–

PROGRAM #6 – Saturday, March 9 at 10am
(Cowell Theatre, Fort Mason, San Francisco)

Presented by BigBus San Francisco

  • Beach Watch, Mary Jane Schramm* (USA) 5 min – World PremiereCITIZEN SCIENCE AWARD

PROGRAM #1 –  Saturday, March 9 at 1:30pm
(Roxie – 3117 16th Street, San Francisco)

  • Scars – Politics in the Big Blue, Karin Hartman (Netherlands) 65 min – WILDLIFE AWARD

PROGRAM# 9 – Saturday, March 9 at 7pm
(Cowell Theatre, Fort Mason, San Francisco)

Presented by SSA

  • A Feather to Kill, Hardy Jones**, Uli Ploefner (USA) 48 min – World Premiere – DIRECTOR’S AWARD

*Filmmaker expected in attendance

**Film representative expected in attendance

Finalists Announced for 16th Annual International Ocean Film Festival March 7 -– 10, 2019

Media contact: David Perry & Associates, Inc. (415) 676-7007 / news@davidperry.com 

Finalists Announced for 16th Annual International Ocean Film Festival
March 7 -– 10, 2019

Two Virtual Reality Films Offered for First Time at Festival

www.intloceanfilmfest.org 

7 February 2019 – San Francisco, CA: “One who was born by the ocean or has associated with it cannot ever be quite content away from it for very long,” wrote John Steinbeck in his classic The Log from the Sea of Cortez. For thefilmmakers and film lovers of the San Francisco-born International Ocean Film Festival (www.intloceanfilmfest.org), the sea and its inspiration are never far away for very long. From March 7 – 10, for the 16th year, the acclaimed nonprofit festival dedicated to “saving our oceans, one film at a time” will bring the wonder of earth’s watery realm to scores of audience members with 55 films including four world premieres and four United States premieres by filmmakers from around the world, across the United States and right here in the Bay Area.
“Every day it becomes clearer that our oceans are under assault,” said Ana Blanco, Executive Director for the International Ocean Film Festival, noting that this year a record 148 films were submitted for consideration including for the first time, two films to be offered in virtual reality. “Every year, more and more people are inspired to action by the films that we present. We are very much a festival with a mission and passion for making a change.”Since its launch in 2004, the San Francisco-based International Ocean Film Festival has attracted thousands of spectators of all ages from around the world, including film enthusiasts, sea athletes, educators, and environmental supporters. Since then, the Festival has presented on average over 50 films annually from 15 different countries and featured post-film Q&A sessions with visiting filmmakers, special panel discussions with content experts, and the Annual Free Student Education Program. It was the first event of its kind in North America, inspired by the well-established ocean festival in Toulon, France, Festival International du Film Maritime, which has continued to draw large audiences for more than 40 years. The International Ocean Film Festival is a registered 501(c) 3 non-profit.

Sponsors for the 16th Annual International Ocean Film Festival include National Marine Sanctuaries, the Canadian Consulate of San Francisco and Silicon Valley, BigBus of San Francisco, SSA, RBC Wealth Management, Port of San Francisco, Alcatraz Cruises, San Francisco Magazine, and Hyatt Hotels, the Premiere Hotel Sponsor for the Festival. 

Below, the chronological schedule of films for the 16th International Ocean:

Thursday, March 7 at 4 pm – Program #1 Presented by NOAA

  • Living with the Oceans, Nicky Milne* (United Kingdom) 17 min 
  • Protecting Blue Whales and Blue Skies, Michael Hanrahan (USA) 8 min 
  • China: Caging the Ocean’s Wild, Steve Chao (Malaysia) 26 min
  • Coral: Glimmer of Hope, Gaelin Rosenwaks* (USA) 9 min – World Premiere 
  • For the Love of the Reef, Alan E Franks (USA) 7 min – West Coast Premiere 
  • The Final Breach, Jess Webster (United Kingdom) 17 min – U.S. Premiere 

Thursday, March 7 at 7pm – Program #2 – OPENING NIGHT
 Presented by the Consulate General of Canada 

  • Near Miss, Josh Berry* (USA) 12 min – Bay Area Premiere 
  • Sharkwater Extinction, Rob Stewart (Canada) 87 min – Bay Area Premiere 

——————————–

Friday, March 8 at 1pm – Program #3 Presented by the Port of San Francisco 

  • Wake Up, Haydn Fischer* (USA) 2 min
  • The Adventures of Zack and Molly, Jim Toomey (USA) 11 min – Bay Area Premiere 
  • Blue Carbon: A Story from the Snohomish Estuary, Benjamin Drummond, Sara Joy Steele (USA) 6 min
  • Master of the Turbulence, Steven Albert*, Mary Albert (USA) 8 min
  • Dispatches from the Gulf 2: Research, Innovation, Discovery, Hal Weiner (USA) 57 min – Bay Area Premiere 

Friday, March 8 at 4 pm – Program #4 – Sponsored by the SF / Kiel, Germany Sister City Program

  • Hybrids, Florian Brauch (Germany) 5 min
  • Plankton, Gustaf Lindstrom (United Kingdom) 6 min – U.S. Premiere 
  • Sailor’s Delight Louise Aubertin (Germany) 8 min
  • Fragile – Why turtle hatchlings need the sea, Hendrik and Claudia Schmitt* (Germany) 8 min – Bay Area Premiere 
  • Dolphin Man, Lefteris Charitos (Greece) 82 min

Friday, March 8 at 4 pm, (Smith Rafael Film Center(1118 4th Street, San Rafael)

Program #1

  • The Blues Crab, Ari Rubenstein* (USA) 14 min – Bay Area Premiere 
  • Manry at Sea: In the Wake of a Dream, Steve Wystrach** (USA) 94 min – Bay Area Premiere 
  • Deep Look – Watch these Cunning Snails Stab and Swallow Fish Whole, Elliott Kennerson (USA) 5 min

Friday, March 8 at 7 pm – Program #5 – SURFING PROGRAM

  • City Surf Project, Oscar Guerra (USA) 11 min
  • Paige, Bjarne Salen (USA) 22 min
  • Beyond the Noise, Andrew Kaineder (Australia) 38 min – West Coast Premiere 
  • Under an Arctic Sky, Chris Burkard (USA) 40 min

——————————–

Saturday, March 9 at 10am – Program #6
Presented by BigBus San Francisco 

  • The Ocean’s Message, Cynthia Abbott* & Andrea Leland (USA) 5 min
  • The Salty Generations, Shaun Wolfe*, Shelby Oliver (USA) 8 min
  • Whitehall, Wendy Schuss* (USA) 9 min 
  • The Swimmer, Thomas Beug (Ireland) 12 min
  • Water Warrior, Monica Medellin* (USA) 4 min
  • Beach Watch, Mary Jane Schramm* (USA) 5 min – World Premiere 
  • Surviving in the Lagoon, Gil Kebaili, Manuel Lefevre (France) 53 min – U.S. Premiere 

Saturday, March 9 at 1 pm – Program #7 SHARK PROGRAM
Presented by Alcatraz Cruises

  • Near Miss, Josh Berry* (USA) 12 min – Bay Area Premiere 
  • Farallon Patrol: Feeding the Devil’s Teeth, Paul McManus*, Kylie West, Chris Winn (USA) 10 min
  • The Angel’s Secrets, Elodie Turpin (Canada) 27 min – West Coast Premiere 
  • 700 Sharks, Luc Marescot (France) 93 min – West Coast Premiere 

Saturday, March 9 at 1:30pm Roxie Theatre (3117 16th Street, San Francisco)

Program #1 

  • Bahía, Santiago Ramirez (Colombia) 8 min
  • Deep Time, Kirsten and Joachim Jakobsen (Portugal) 10 min
  • New Caledonia, Mother of the Coral Sea, Shawn Heinrichs (New Caledonia) 14 min
  • Scars – Politics in the Big Blue, Karin Hartman (Netherlands) 65 min

Saturday, March 9 at 4pm – Program #8

  • Diving Surge Narrows, Grant Callegari, Tavish Campbell (Canada) 4 min
  • Defending The Deep, Will Parrinello* (USA) 6 min
  • Colors of Change, Jenny Nichols (USA) 22 min
  • Deep Look – Whack! Jab! Crack! It’s a Blackback Land Crab Smackdown, Elliott Kennerson (USA) 5 min
  • Call of the Baby Beluga, Suzanne Chisholm, Michael Parfit (Canada) 52 min

Saturday, March 9 at 7pm – Program #9
Presented by SSA

  • Wake Up, Haydn Fischer* (USA) 2 min
  • Deep Look – This Adorable Sea Slug is a Sneaky Little Thief, Joshua Cassidy* (USA) 5 min
  • A Feather to Kill, Hardy Jones**, Uli Ploefner (USA) 48 min – World Premiere 

Saturday, March 9 at 7pm – (Smith Rafael Film Center 1118 4th St, San Rafael, CA 94901) Program #2

  • Every Nine Minutes, DJ O’Neil, Oliver Hamilton*, (USA) 4 min – World Premiere 
  • Chasing The Thunder, Mark Benjamin*, Marc Levin (USA) 96 min

——————————–

Sunday, March 10 at 10 am – Program #10

  • Student Film Competition (full schedule TBD)

Sunday, March 10 at 1pm – Program #11

  • The Lives of Wild Dolphins, Jim Knowlton* (USA) 7 min 
  • Wakes, Lea Rinaldi (France) 90 min

Sunday, March 10 at 4 pm – Program #12
Presented by RBC Wealth Management 

  • The Blessed Assurance, Isabelle Carbonell** (USA) 22 min
  • The Southern Right Whale, Kevin Zaouali (Argentina) 21 min – West Coast Premiere 
  • Lobster War: The Fight Over The World’s Richest Fishing Grounds, David Abel* (USA) 74 min – West Coast Premiere

Special Virtual Reality Program – (Fort Mason Firehouse)

Sunday, March 10 10am – 2pm

  • 360 Coral Reefs – Life below the surface, Hendrik and Claudia Schmitt* (Germany) 6 min – U.S. Premiere  (Virtual Reality Screening)

Join us on a journey through the Coral Triangle and its magnificent coral reefs. These underwater gardens boast the largest biodiversity of life on Earth, but as the planet keeps warming, our oceans are changing. Coral bleaching, ocean acidification, overfishing and pollution are threatening the world’s coral reefs and their fragile ecosystems. Experience the underwater world and learn about today’s urgency to protect our reefs.

  • IMMERSE: A Story of Science, Love and Magic in the Ocean, Erika Woolsey PhD*, Jason McGuigan, Rick Mistiv (USA) 9 min (Virtual Reality Screening) WORLD PREMIERE

Immerse is a live-action 360º 3D journey that takes you to the tropical Pacific, where you explore coral reefs, see manta rays do back-flips, watch sharks glide by, and join scientists as they study how the reef is changing.

* Filmmaker expected in attendance

**Film representative expected in attendance

Dezart Performs Continues 11th Season with White Guy On The Bus by Bruce Graham

media contact: David Perry & Associates, Inc. (415) 676-7007 / news@davidperry.com

Dezart Performs Continues 11th Season with White Guy On The Bus by Bruce Graham

Searing drama of racial and social divide directed by Michael Shaw runs March 1 – 10
www.dezartperforms.org

4 February 2019 – Palm Springs, CA:  Weaving back and forth between the past and present, a bus, a wealthy suburban home and a down-and-out urban apartment, Bruce Graham’s White Guy On The Busdelivers a searing montage of elements about America’s current racial and economic divide. Directed by Michael Shaw, it is the hardest-hitting drama of the 11th Season from the award winning Dezart Performs of Palm Springs. White Guy On The Bus is “a scalding take on race” (The New York Times) “a play with guts. This one goes right for the jugular” (The Chicago Tribune). The play runs March 1 – 10 at thePearl McManus Theater (at the historic Palm Springs Woman’s Club / 314 S Cahuilla Road, Downtown Palm Springs).


“Good theatre holds up a mirror to our society,” said Shaw, not one to step away from controversy in his role as the founding artistic director for Dezart Performs. “However, sometimes what we see in the mirror is not what we expect, and often we don’t like the reflection. White Guy On The Bus is an example, truly, of an American mirror cracked.”

Week after week, a wealthy white businessman rides the same bus, befriending a single black mom. As they get to know one another, their pasts unfold and tensions rise, igniting a disturbing and crucial exploration of race, and a contemporary morality play that cuts across racial, social and economic lines.

The cast for White Guy On The Bus features David Youse as Ray, Alexana Thomas as Roz, Desireé Clarke as Shatique, Sean Timothy Brown as Christopher and Bianca Stoker as Molly.


Dezart Performs, one of the Coachella Valley’s preeminent theatre companies, recognizes that the performing arts enrich the life and culture of a community, promote greater understanding and provoke insightful discussion. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit theatre company, its mission is to provide an artistic home for bold and cutting–edge plays, creating an atmosphere of artistic growth for actors, writers, and directors who uniquely contribute to the diverse theatrical environment in the Coachella Valley.

Sponsors of Dezart Performs’ 2018/19 Season include The Riviera Palm Springs, Desert Care Network, Eight4Nine Restaurant & Lounge, Acqua at the River, TRIO Restaurant, Hotel Zoso and the Desert Sun.

Showtimes for White Guy On The Bus: Fridays and Saturdays @ 7:30pm, Saturdays and Sundays @ 2pm.  Ticket prices are $45 Opening Night with Post Show Reception; $35 Evening; $30 Matinee. Performances take place at the Pearl McManus Theater (at the historic Palm Springs Woman’s Club) 314 S Cahuilla Road, Downtown Palm Springs. Tickets may be purchased online www.dezartperforms.org 

The 11th Season for Dezart Performs Ends With:

Maytag Virgin
A southern love story by Audrey Cefaly
Directed by Deborah Harmon
April 5 — 14, 2019

Alabama high-school teacher Lizzy Nash is on a leave of absence after the sudden death of her husband when a mysterious new neighbor moves in next door. Jack and Lizzy, both hiding a world of secrets and pain, excite and confound each other. Maytag Virgin explores the ideas of moving forward and self-enlightenment, and the bridge between the two.

“….unflinchingly honest. Cefaly’s writing is richly-layered, creating compelling characters that must balance love and heartache, the safe with the unfamiliar.”– DC Metro Theatre Arts

“…it’s the emotional journey of Maytag Virgin gives it such a wallop. Cefaly writes with sympathy and a finely-sharpened wit.” – BroadwayWorld.com

San Francisco’s International Ocean Film Festival & Canadian Consulate Present U.S. Premiere of Canada C3: Coast to Coast to Coast

media contact: David Perry & Associates, Inc. (415) 676-7007 / news@davidperry.com 

San Francisco’s International Ocean Film Festival & Canadian Consulate Present U.S. Premiere of Canada C3: Coast to Coast to Coast 

Acclaimed documentary follows epic journey around Canada’s three coasts at Cowell Theatre Wednesday, February 6
6pm – Reception / 7:15pm – Screening / 8:15pm – Panel Discussion

www.intloceanfilmfest.org 

17 January 2019 – San Francisco, CA:  In 2017 “A single ship captivated millions of Canadians and captured Canada’s promise,” remarked Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, “amplifying the voices of youth and Indigenous peoples, and connecting Canadians and communities all across the country.”  For one night only, that epic journey will come to San Francisco via a close partnership with the Consulate of Canada and San Francisco’s International Ocean Film Festival: The United States Premiere of the acclaimed Canadian documentary Canada C3: Coast to Coast to Coast. Produced by the Students on Ice Foundation,this inspiring and thought-provoking documentary follows the epic Canada C3 Expedition, retracing the 150-day icebreaker journey from Toronto to Victoria through the Northwest Passage in 2017. The film will screen at San Francisco’s Cowell Theatre (Fort Mason Center) on February 6 beginning with a reception at 6pm, following by the screening at 7:15pm. A panel discussion will follow. Tickets may be purchased online at www.intloceanfilmfest.org/events.

“Over the years, our friends and colleagues at the Consulate of Canada have been among our most steadfast supporters,” said Ana Blanco, Executive Director of the San Francisco based International Ocean Film Festival. “We are honored to once again partner with them to bring an important film about our shared maritime heritage to our audience.”

Canada C3 became a voyage of reconciliation, a unique pan-Canadian scientific voyage, and a platform for art, music, story-telling, connecting, inspiring, healing, and awakening,” said Geoff Green, Founder & President of the Students on Ice Foundation and Canada C3 Expedition Leader. “Canada is a young country still learning about its past, navigating its present, and exploring its future.”

“Canada C3: Coast to Coast to Coast transports audiences on a sailing adventure exploring Canada’s coastline —the longest coastline in the world. From Lake Ontario, down the mighty St. Lawrence River to the Atlantic Ocean, through the Northwest Passage, and to the Pacific Coast. The expedition and its teams of Canadians, sailed over 25,000 kilometres, visiting communities, national parks, marine protected areas, and many other remote and extraordinary corners of Canada’s vast, beautiful and diverse country.”

Canada C3 – Coast to Coast to Coast delivers emotional, powerful and inspiring messages about the expeditions four key themes: science and the environment; truth and reconciliation, youth engagement; and diversity and inclusion, all key components in building a better Canada and a better world. Through these lenses, this historic journey served to better connect and deepen understanding amongst diverse Canadians as they shared their stories of community, place, and culture.

Since its launch in 2004, the San Francisco-based International Ocean Film Festival has attracted thousands of spectators of all ages from around the world, including film enthusiasts, sea athletes, educators, and environmental supporters. Since then, the Festival has presented over 50 films from 15 different countries and featured post-film Q&A sessions with visiting filmmakers, special panel discussions with content experts, and the Annual Free Student Education Program. It was the first event of its kind in North America, inspired by the well-established ocean festival in Toulon, France, which has continued to draw large audiences for more than 40 years.

The 16th Annual International Ocean Film Festival will take place March 7-10, 2019 at venues around San Francisco. The International Ocean Film Festival is a registered 501(c) 3 non-profit.

About the Students on Ice Foundation

Canada C3 was a Canada 150 Signature Project led by the Students on Ice (SOI) Foundation, an award-winning organization that has led more than 30 expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctic. Students on Ice is founded on the principle that we are driven by the personal connections that we make to the land and to one another and these connections foster a deeper understanding of and commitment to a healthy and sustainable future.  Experiential education in the Polar Regions is SOI’s core program. Visit studentsonice.com and CanadaC3.ca to learn more.

42 Films from San Francisco’s International Ocean Film Festival Are Featured in Thunder Bay International Film Festival

media contact: David Perry & Associates, Inc. (415) 676-7007 / news@davidperry.com 

42 Films from San Francisco’s International Ocean Film Festival Are Featured in Thunder Bay International Film Festival in Northeast Michigan

January 23 – 27

www.intloceanfilmfest.org 

15 January 2019 – San Francisco, CA: From the open seas to the Great Lakes, San Francisco’s International Ocean Film Festival (www.intloceanfilmfest.org)continues its mission of saving and educating about our marine heritage. For the Thunder Bay International Film Festival,42 films from the IOFF will be highlighted will be featured as part of the seventh annual event in Alpena, Michigan at the Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center, January 23 – 27).

“North America’s Great Lakes are truly inland seas with vibrant, yet often threatened ecosystems,” said Ana Blanco, Executive Director of the International Ocean Film Festival, this year celebrating their 16th anniversary in March. “We are thrilled to share works that fulfil our mission of ‘saving the world’s oceans, one film at a time.’ This is a perfect partnership to highlight the important work being done by the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary.”

Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary encompasses 4,300 square miles in northwestern Lake Huron. Designated in 2000, the sanctuary exists to preserve our Great Lakes maritime heritage, including a significant collection of historic shipwrecks. Through innovative, accessible educational programs and community outreach, the sanctuary strives to protect our Great Lakes for future generations. The sanctuary’s visitor center, the Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center, is open year-round. The center is a popular destination for residents and visitors of all ages, allowing the public to experience and appreciate the estimated 200 shipwrecks in and around Thunder Bay in an area known as “Shipwreck Alley”. Visitors can also see shipwrecks from a glass bottom boat, or paddle, snorkel, and dive the wrecks in the sanctuary.


The Thunder Bay International Film festival screens more than fifty films, ranging in length from one minute to feature-length.  Most of the films and events are scheduled at the Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center in downtown Alpena, with satellite events in Harrisville and Rogers City. Film screenings are complemented by social events, educational activities, and opportunities to meet filmmakers.  Topics of the film festival include Great Lakes issues, shark conservation, deep sea exploration, lighthouse history, surfing, and much more. 

Since its launch in 2004, the San Francisco-based International Ocean Film Festival has attracted thousands of spectators of all ages from around the world, including film enthusiasts, sea athletes, educators, and environmental supporters. Since then, the Festival has presented over 50 films from 15 different countries and featured post-film Q&A sessions with visiting filmmakers, special panel discussions with content experts, and the Annual Free Student Education Program. It was the first event of its kind in North America, inspired by the well-established ocean festival in Toulon, France, which has continued to draw large audiences for more than 40 years.

The 16th Annual International Ocean Film Festival will take place March 7-10, 2019 at venues around San Francisco. The International Ocean Film Festival is a registered 501(c) 3 non-profit.

Below is the complete list of the films from the International Ocean Film Festival being show at the Thunder Bay Festival.

  • 68 Voices 
  • A Herring Opera 
  • Adaptation Bangladesh: Sea Level Rise 
  • The Agave Gun 
  • Albatross 
  • Alice in Borneo’s Wonderland 
  • The Amazing Lifecycle of the European Eel 
  • Art for a Sea Change 
  • Big Pacific 
  • The Big Wave Project 
  • Blue Bon Voyage 
  • Chiripajas 
  • Cuban Wave Riders 
  • Dedicate: Diving Free 
  • Dive to Be Alive 
  • Fishpeople 
  • From the Shadows 
  • How do Pelicans Survive Their Death-Defying Dives? 
  • The Hundred Year-Old Whale 
  • Irreparable Harm 
  • The Islands and the Whales 
  • Islands from Mexico: Revillagigedo Archipelago 
  • Kim Swims 
  • Lionfish: New Pirates of the Caribbean 
  • Melting Stars 
  • Mexican Fishing Bats 
  • The Mystery of the Gnaraloo Sea Turtles 
  • Nonoy and the Sea Monster 
  • Oceanic Aliens 
  • One Breath: A Life Without Gravity 
  • Patterns of the Ocean: Protecting Indonesia’s Manta Rays 
  • Reefs at Risk 
  • Return of the Harbor Porpoises 
  • Seeking Sanctuary 
  • Shark Wedding PSA 
  • Souls of the Vermilion Sea 
  • Stars 
  • The Story of Force Blue 
  • These Fish Are All About Sex on the Beach 
  • Touched by the Ocean 
  • Two Ocean Minutes with Jim Toomey: Land-Sea Connection 
  • Water, Blood and Spermaceti