San Francisco’s International Ocean Film Festival this year will take place from April 13 to 16 at the Cowell Theatre at Fort Mason where 33 films representing 11 countries will be shown and will highlight marine life, the world’s oceans, coastal cultures, and conservation. The festival annually occurs shortly before Earth Day, April 22.
Especially anticipated is the festival’s opening night offering Deep Rising, a Sundance Film Festival winner. This up-to-the-minute tale of geopolitical, scientific, and corporate intrigue exposes the machinations of a secretive organization empowered to greenlight massive extraction of metals from the deep seafloor that are deemed essential to the electric battery revolution. Other festival offerings include Gender Outlaw (see feature in this issue of the Bay Times); Collision, an eye-opening film about the main cause of death in large whales; and Patrick and the Whale, in which stunning underwater footage explores the fascinating nature of the sperm whale, its complex intelligence, and the species’ relationship with humanity.
“After 20 years we’re still making waves and saving our world’s oceans one film at a time,” said Ana Blanco, Executive Director for the International Ocean Film Festival. “In an era when climate change is topic number one, and the state of our oceans is a daily priority, never has the work of our filmmakers and activist been more vital, or more newsworthy.”
The festival accepts films of all genres that focus on any of the varied aspects of oceans. The 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 International Ocean Film 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.
Published on April 4, 2023
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