Full Schedule of Films Announced for 19th Annual International Ocean Film Festival
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Full Schedule of Films Announced for 19th Annual International Ocean Film Festival April 7 – 10 at San Francisco’s Cowell Theater Fort Mason with additional screenings at The Roxie SF and Smith Rafael Film Center Virtual Presentations April 11 – 24
Tickets Go on Sale Today March 10 for Largest Festival in the World for Ocean-Related Films
13World Premieres, 9 US Premieres and 7 Bay Area Premieres.
Films have been received from 30 countries
and 17 filmmakers will be in attendance.
10 March 2022 – San Francisco, CA: The waves of emotion were palpable as supporters of ocean awareness gathered on March 10th at San Francisco’s Le Meridien Hotel (333 Battery Street) to celebrate and preview the films for the upcoming 19th Annual International Ocean Film Festival, coming to three venues in the Bay Area April 7 – 10 for the first in-person event since 2019: The Cowell Theatre at Fort Mason and the Roxie in San Francisco, and the Smith Rafael Film Center in San Rafael. In addition, virtual presentations will also be offered April 11 – 24. Tickets to the entire festival went on sale today March 10 online www.intloceanfilmfest.org
“After two years, it’s wonderful to be back, truly together, in one space versus just in one Zoom Room,” said Ana Blanco, Executive Director for the Festival. “Having said that, the last two years of virtual programming allowed us to expand our reach, globally. This year, our Festival returns in real time for real in-seat audiences. However, it will also have a virtual component as well.”
This year’s 19th Annual International Ocean Film Festival is marked with 18 days of ocean-focused, independent films. In addition, the Festival will host lively Q&A panels with film directors, marine scientists, and industry experts, as they discuss the films and share insights into ocean conservation, preservation, and legislation.
In addition, this year marks the 11th Annual Student Film Competition in which students tell their stories about the ocean and explore the exciting world of filmmaking. Support for the Student Film Competition comes from PADI (the Professional Association of Diving Instructors). The Student Film Competition is open to middle school and high school students (grades 6 through 12) from around the world. Films must be five minutes or less in duration, and touch upon some subject matter regarding the ocean. The finalist will be announced on Monday, March 21, 2022. The program is free to attend and is scheduled for Sunday, April 10, 2022 at 12:30 in the Tidepool at Fort Mason.
According to Blanco, the past two years’ “Virtual Oceans” online Festivals were seen by a record breaking 10,000 people and more than 2500 students took part in the online education series. During 2020 and 2021, submissions were received from around the world, including films from the USA, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Malaysia, and Germany. For this year’s 19th Annual International Ocean Film Festival, Blanco is expecting an even great number – and greater diversity – of submissions.
According to Blanco, this year’s 2022 19th Annual International Ocean Festival will present 13 World Premieres, 9 United States Premieres and 7 Bay Area Premieres. Films have been received from 30 countries and 17 filmmakers will be in attendance.The Festival accepts films of all genres that focus on any of the varied aspects of our big, blue ocean. Subject matter ranges from, but is not limited to, marine wildlife, conservation efforts, ocean environments, coastal cultures, ocean sports and exploration, ocean heroes, and innovative technology designed to help protect the ocean. Films can be documentaries, narratives, shorts, animation, and full-length films from around the world. A number of finalists from the main film festival program will be selected to participate in the world-renowned International Ocean Film Festival Traveling Program. This year’s film categories include Environmental, Marine Sciences/Wildlife, Exploration & Ocean Sports, Coastal Island Culture. Animation, Conservation, Diversity Equity & Inclusion, Shorts and Female Directors.
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 815 films from 40 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.
Current sponsors for the upcoming 19th Annual International Ocean Film Festival include, The Consul General of Canada of San Francisco and Silicon Valley, Laura Wais Underwater Imaging, NOAA, PG&E, RingCentral, RBC Wealth Management and The SSA Group.
Hotel and hospitality partners for the 19th Annual International Ocean Film Festival are: The Hotel Griffon, The Hotel Zetta, the J.W. Marriott, the Kimpton Alton Hotel, Le Meridien, the Lodge at the Presidio and the Omni Hotel.
The International Ocean Film Festival encourages its patrons, supporters and partners to follow the most current advice from the Center for Disease Control and the World Health Organization for preventing the further spread of the COVID-19 in Northern California and beyond, and to stay tuned for announcements about International Ocean Film Festival events once the threat level is reduced. The 19th Annual International Ocean Film Festival will take place April 7 – 10 at San Francisco’s Fort Mason Center for Arts and Culture (2 Marina Boulevard, Pier 2), the Roxie Theatre in San Francisco’s Mission District (3117 16th Street) and at the Smith Rafael Film Center in San Rafael (1118 4th Street, San Rafael) and April 11 – 23 online at www.intloceanfilmfest.org. The International Ocean Film Festival is a registered 501(c) 3 non-profit.
- www.intloceanfilmfest.org
- https://www.facebook.com/intloceanfilmfest
- Twitter @oceanfilmfest
- Instagram @intloceanfilmfest
Following is the full schedule of films for 2022 19th Annual International Ocean Film Festival
Cowell Theater, Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture
Thursday April 7 at 4 pm – Program #1
- The Oyster Farmer, Kika Tuff (USA) 5 min
- Albacore Tuna: The Tale of a Fish, Jennifer Marie Bell*, Jessica Eden (USA) 37 min
- The Witness is a Whale, Nick Dean* and Cheryl Dean (Austria) 52 min
Thursday April 7 at 7 pm – Program #2
- Back to the Sea, Jack Gordon* (USA) 6 min
- Eight Arms That Unite Us, Abdillah Intje (Indonesia) 9 min
- The Last Vaquita, Ed Harrison* & Luke Ripley (UK) 13 min
- In Too Deep – The True Cost of Deep Sea Mining, Maarten van Rouveroy* (Netherlands) 19 min
Friday April 8 at 1 pm – Program #3
- Mangrove Forests: Roots of the Sea I Marine Ecosystem Diaries, Rebecca Daniel (UK) 4 min
- The Dark Hobby, Paula Fouce* (United States) 56 min
Friday April 8 at 4 pm – Program #4: Kiel Program
- The Origin – Life around the Hot Spring, Claudia Schmitt* (Germany) 4 min
- STURMFAHRT – The World’s Toughest Sailing Race, Philipp Grieß (Germany) 90 min
Friday April 8 at 7 pm – Program #5: Surf Program
- Resurrection Artist, Scott Fitzloff* (USA) 22 min
- Waterman, Isaac Halasima*, Steven Ungerleider, David Ulich, Michael Cascio (USA) 93 min
Saturday April 9 at 10 am – Program #6
- Deep Look: Starfish Gallop With Hundreds of Tubular Feet, Josh Cassidy* (USA) 5 min
- Adventures of a Maritime Archaeologist, Kurt Mann* (USA) 12 min
- I Just Went for a Swim, Adam Dostalek* (Australia) 18 min
- Nā Kama Kai – Children Of The Ocean, Ju Martins* (USA) 36 min
- Celestial, Jack Gordon* (USA) 28 min
Saturday April 9 at 1 pm – Program #7: Sharks Program
- Great White Sharks, Lakan Duskin (USA) 3 min
- Fish with Superpowers – The Clownfish and the Shark, Hendrik S. Schmitt* (Germany) 5 min
- Emperors of the Deep – Short, William McKeever*, Paul Rachman (United States) 20 min
- Sharks of the Sea of Cortés: A Lost Treasure?, James Ketchum* (Mexico) 27 min
- Changing Seas: “Recreational Shark Fishing: Collaborating for Conservation”, Kristin Paterakis* (USA) 27 min
Saturday April 9 at 4 pm – Program #8
- The Forest Stands Tall, Abbey Dias* (USA) 2 min
- Veins of an Island, Shireen Rahimi* (USA) 8 min
- Coextinction, Gloria Pancrazi, Elena Jean (Canada) 93 min
Saturday April 9 at 7 pm – Program #9
- ICEolation, Sophie Ballagh & Ewan Blyth (Antarctica) 28 min
- Soul of the Ocean, Howard Wesley Hall* (USA) 78 min
Sunday April 10 at 10 am – Program #10
- Hungry Jellyfish, Sabrina Inderbitzi (Switzerland) 4 min
- My Journey Across the Ocean, Madeleine Kelly Toomey (USA) 4 min
- The Blue Forest, Philip Hamilton (UK) 35 min
- Twist and Spin, Peter Donovan Walker (Vanuatu) 50 min
Sunday April 10 at 1 pm – Program #11
- Planktonium, Jan van IJken (Netherlands) 15 min
- Open Ocean, Nathan Siegel* (Spain) 83 min
Sunday April 10 at 4 pm – Program #12
- Tess Felix: Portrait Artist, Cynthia Abbott*, Andrea E. Leland (USA) 8 min
- Bodies of Water, Lavado Stubbs (USA) 10 min
- The Ocean Solution, Darcy Hennessey Turenne (USA) 14 min
- Coding for Crayfish, Serge Raemaekers, Karen Logan (South Africa) 30 min
- INTO THE BLUE: The Wonders of The Coral Triangle, Robert Fonollosa (Spain) 50 min
Friday April 8 at 7pm – Program #1
- Lionfish: Ocean Murder Hedgehogs, Sarah Baumann* (USA) 2 min
- Soul of the Ocean, Howard Wesley Hall (USA) 78 min
Saturday April 9 at 7pm – Program #2
- Tess Felix: Portrait Artist, Cynthia Abbott*, Andrea E. Leland (USA) 8 min
- Selma, Maciek Jabłoński (Poland) 92 min
Sunday April 10 at 4pm – Program #3
- Stranded: A Whale Rescue Tale, Bruce Narin*, Ashley Love (USA) 25 min
- Archipelago New York – An Island City, Thomas Halaczinsky* (Germany) 53 min
Saturday April 9 at 1:30 pm – Program #1
- It’s Time to Listen, Louisa Gilbert (Canada) 7 min
- Fishing with Wally, Ellie Schmidt* (USA) 20 min
- Bangla Surf Girls, Elizabeth D Costa*, Lalita Krishna (Canada) 85 min
Sunday April 10 at 1pm – Program #2
- Deep Look: Sea Slugs Scrub Seagrass by the Seashore, Mike Seely (USA) 4 min
- Whetū Mārama – Bright Star, Toby Mills, Aileen O’Sullivan (New Zealand) 90 min