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Oceanic Global Short Film Festival 2025: Submissions and Events

Submit your film to the 2025 Oceanic Global Film Festival.

SUBMIT YOUR FILM

About the Festival

The Oceanic Global Short Film Festival launched in 2020 with the aim of uplifting environmental and ocean storytelling from around the world. Oceanic Global Hubs will be hosting a third edition of the Short Film Festival in New York City during Earth Month (April) 2025 and Satellite Screening Events.

Building on the success of past events, this year’s programming will broaden our festival’s impact through multiple formats to enhance environmental storytelling & engage diverse audiences globally.
Leading up to the 2025 Festival, events will bring together a panel of critically acclaimed judges to review submissions and select a set of the winning films for this year’s edition.

Theme: Water is Life

This year’s theme, “Water is Life,” will explore the vital role of water in sustaining life on Earth, encouraging creative storytelling that underscores our deep connection to water and the ocean as essential living systems.

SUBMIT A FILM

Critically Acclaimed Jury

The 2025 event will bring together a panel of critically acclaimed judges to review submissions and select a set of the winning films for this year’s edition.

Competition Details

Submissions for the 2025 Oceanic Global Short Film Festival will open on September 28th, 2024.

Timeline

 

Film Criteria

Films should be between 5-15 minutes.

Films must full under one of the following categories:

– Narrative Short/Poetic Storytelling

-Scientific/Practical Short

Film should connect to the theme “Water is Life”

FAQs

    The festival will be taking place in New York City during Earth Month in April 2025.

    Anyone! As long as you follow our criteria for submissions we encourage filmmakers of all backgrounds and skill levels to submit their work.

    Final prizes to be confirmed, but 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 will review a select amount of films remotely and provide feedback through a scoring system
    • Each film will be rated on a scale from 1-5 points
    • Jurors will use 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 is open to the public, and you don’t need to be a climate expert or ocean advocate to enjoy the films in the festival!

    The Oceanic Global Film Festival is run by our Hubs,  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 ideate, plan, and produce the festival and screening event.

    • 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.

Filmmaker Workshop at Marketplace of the Future

Join us on September 28, 2024 as we host a Filmmaker Workshop in partnership with Marketplace of the Future.

Stay tuned for more information about the Workshop.

Learn More

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2020 Film Festival

2022 Film Festival

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