The festival took in New York City during Earth Month in April 2025.

Anyone! As long as they followed our criteria for submissions, we encouraged filmmakers of all backgrounds and skill levels to submit their work.

Standard Submission: $25

Student Submission: $20

Submission fees went to Oceanic Global to support our programs and Regional Volunteer Hubs. Requests for for the submission fee to be waived were processed by emailing gina@oceanic.global.

2025 Short Film Festival prizes:

• Crowdfunding 101 Mentorship Session from Seed & Spark
• DaVinci Resolve Studio from Blackmagic Design – Professional editing, color grading, VFX and audio post production software

Previous Short Film Festival prizes included:

• New Day Pictures Free Kit hire worth £1,000 from New Day Pictures, one of the UK’s leading Film & TV Equipment Hire
• Mentorship sessions with selected jurors and/or award-winning filmmakers

• Jurors reviewed a select amount of films remotely and provided feedback through a scoring system
• Each film was rated on a scale from 1-5 points
• Jurors used their knowledge and expertise to base ratings on the following criteria:
  • Production value
  • Narrative/storytelling skill
  • Scientific accuracy
  • Ability to inspire change or action
  • Visual impression
• Top 3-5 final films selected and screened at the events

The Oceanic Global Film Festival screening was open to the public. You didn’t need to be a climate expert or ocean advocate to enjoy the films in the festival!

The Oceanic Global Film Festival was run by our Hubs program,  our regional volunteer-based extensions of the Oceanic Global team, designed to drive localized impact on a global scale.

With assistance from the Oceanic Global team, the Hubs ideated, planned, and produced the festival and screening events.

Community Partners

• Peace Boat US: Peace Boat US works to build a culture of peace and sustainability around the world by connecting people across borders and creating opportunities for learning, activism and cooperation. We achieve this through programs in which people from around the world participate in voyages onboard the Peace Boat, visiting 100 ports of call each year. Programs combine learning, activism, advocacy, and travel, enabling participants to learn first-hand about global issues such as ocean conservation, peace education and climate action. Participants experience grassroots peace-building efforts to find creative and constructive solutions, from local communities to global advocacy networks. Peace Boat US also organizes the Youth for SDGs program, officially endorsed by IOC UNESCO as a Contribution to the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development.
• Ecodeo is an eco video firm that connects audiences with climate solutions, eco-innovation, and a sustainable future. They produce videos about climate solutions, social impact, environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiatives,full-spectrum sustainability, conservation, climate justice and responsible business practices.
• Blackmagic Design creates the world’s highest quality video editing products, digital film cameras, color correctors, video converters, video monitoring, routers, live production switchers, disk recorders, waveform monitors and real time film scanners for the feature film, post production and television broadcast industries. Blackmagic Design’s DeckLink capture cards launched a revolution in quality and affordability in post production, while the company’s Emmy™ award winning DaVinci color correction products have dominated the television and film industry since 1984. Blackmagic Design continues ground breaking innovations including 6G-SDI and 12G-SDI products and stereoscopic 3D and Ultra HD workflows. Founded by world leading post production editors and engineers, Blackmagic Design has offices in the USA, UK, Japan, Singapore and Australia. For more information, please go to www.blackmagicdesign.

Media Partners

• Session Magazine: Session Magazine, the magazine for water lovers! Dive into the full spray of watersports from big wave surfing to windsurfing, foiling, kiting, stand up paddling and more with great storytelling, iconic images from the world’s best water photographers, articles about traveling to far off places or adventuring in your own backyard. Read exclusive articles written by renowned watermen and women like Greg Long, and Leah Dawson. Hear the latest trends, travel destinations, highlights on exciting ocean nonprofits and fresh perspectives from the best in the watersports space. We are published quarterly across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia. Join the tribe that lives, breathes and thrives when connected to water.
• RedShark News: RedShark is a multi-platform online publication for anyone with an interest in moving image technology and craft. With over 50 contributors worldwide, full-time developers, editorial, sales and marketing staff, it is the go-to site for informed opinion and know-how for the quickly changing video, film and content creation industries.

• Share the submission and event info with your network! Click here for link to social assets.
• Join a Regional Hub Volunteer Chapter to support grassroots action in your community
• Sign-up to the Oceanic Global Newsletter to stay informed about Ocean Action & upcoming events
• Donate to support Oceanic Global in protecting the ocean and our collective wellbeing
• Interested in partnering on or sponsoring the screening event? Email partnerships@oceanic.global

• Artists from around the world are invited to submit their original work to Oceanic Global’s Short Film Festival, Artwork of all genres relating to the themes will be considered.
• Submissions must be in English or with English subtitles.
• The production could have taken place at any time in the past 5 years. Premiere status is not necessary.
• We request that submissions are submitted solely via this form.
• Please ensure your videos are hosted online via a shareable link such as Vimeo or YouTube – we will not review any DVDs or physical recordings.
• More than one entry may be submitted.
• Each entry must be accompanied by an official entry form and entry fee.
• If your film is selected, then you will be asked to provide stills or clips; press materials; headshot and filmography of the artist; b&w and/or colour and video trailer (if available). Please do not send in press materials until asked to do so by the festival.
• All film entries selected for the Festival grant Oceanic Global the rights to use select footage, stills, and/or titles and information from the film for promotional purposes upon approval by the artist.
• Oceanic Global & Partners have the right to share submissions on social channels, newsletters, and websites free of charge.
• You must be the Director, Lead Producer, or a core team member to apply.
• All artwork submitted must be free from any legal disputes and the artist must have cleared all rights for music and exhibition. Any disputes that arise are solely the responsibility of the artist and not Oceanic Global.
• We will endeavor to get back to all submissions but we are expecting a high volume of films to consider and if you do not hear from us by March 1, 2025, then please assume we will not be proceeding with your film.