“It’s like being pulled home.” “Like going to my personal church.” “If you’re not there, you feel like you’re really missing out.”
Meet the characters and creatures of the environment that gave us life: the ocean. Through nine short and medium-length films, share an evening of raw power, overflowing passion, and deep respect at the Ocean Film Festival World Tour.
“These films are made by surfers, divers, sailors, and swimmers who feel compelled to share their connection to the water with us,” says Festival director, Jemima Robinson.
“Through two hours of deep-water spear-fishing, big-wave riding, cross-ocean rowing, and sailing a backyard hobby yacht from England to Auckland, we realise that this love we have for the ocean – as Australians – is a global and fundamentally human emotion.”
Festival films are selected from a pool of submissions that come from across Australia and the world. From an electric exploration of Victoria’s coastal critters to the crest of an 80-foot Hawaiian monster, the Festival celebrates the depth and vast span of our ocean ecosystems, and the people who protect and pursue them.
The line-up travels to 26 Australian cities, delighting audiences in 42 screenings.
And while eye-watering cinematography and graceful sea life abound, the films are not without their share of blood and chunder – as we follow two crazy Latvians on a second-hand ocean-crossing rowboat named ‘Linda’.
“As much as these are stories to inspire our desire to defend and connect with our oceans, they are also stories about fathers and daughters, husbands and wives, neighbours and mad school mates who are all chasing their dreams,” Robinson says.
“We know that most people leave this event wanting to quit work and hit the water,” she adds. “Which is why every year our audience numbers continue to swell.”
Proceeds from select Festival events support the Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS), the Project AWARE Foundation, and Sea Shepherd Australia.
Visit the Ocean Film Festival Australia Facebook page for updates and undersea tasters.
The Ocean Film Festival 2018
NSW
BYRON BAY 6 & 7 March – Byron Theatre
SYDNEY EAST 6 March – Randwick Ritz
SYDNEY SEYMOUR 9-10 March – Seymour Centre
SYDNEY NORTH 13-15 March – Hayden Orpheum, Cremorne
WOLLONGONG 16 March – University Hall, University of Wollongong
FORSTER TUNCURRY 21 March – Great Lakes Cinemas
NEWCASTLE 22 March – Tower Cinemas
AVOCA BEACH 23 March – Avoca Beach Picture Theatre
COFFS HARBOUR 28 April – Jetty Theatre
QLD
CAIRNS 1-3 March – Centre of Contemporary Arts
TOWNSVILLE 7 & 8 March – Riverway Arts Centre
GOLD COAST 8 March – The Arts Centre Gold Coast
NOOSA 9 March – The J
BRISBANE 16-18 April – Brisbane Powerhouse
ACT
CANBERRA 2-3 March – National Film & Sound Archives
SA
ADELAIDE 17 March – The Capri Cinema
NT
DARWIN 10 July – Deckchair Cinema
ALICE SPRINGS 13 July – Araluen Arts Centre
VIC
MELBOURNE CROWN 20 March – Crown Melbourne
MELBOURNE ASTOR 21 March – The Astor Theatre
WARRNAMBOOL 22 March – Lighthouse Theatre
GEELONG 23 March – Village Cinemas
ROSEBUD 24 March – Peninsula Cinema
TAS
LAUNCESTON 16 March – Tramsheds
HOBART 17 March – Farrall Centre, The Friends School
WA
GERALDTON 10 March – Queenspark Theatre
MARGARET RIVER 12 March – Margaret River Cultural Centre
PERTH 13-16 March – The State Theatre Centre of WA
BROOME 17 March – Sun Pictures
