About the Festival
Scientists have warned us of the Ocean’s decline. The facts are clear, the numbers dire. But when we’re numb to statistics, how do we inspire the transformation our Blue Planet needs?
The Oceanic Global Short Film Festival exists at this critical intersection—where art meets urgency, where storytelling becomes the catalyst, where moving images move us to action.
Since launching in 2020, the festival has drawn thousands of attendees across 11 countries worldwide. The 2026 edition expands globally under the lens Films That Awaken New Depths, bringing powerful Ocean stories from major cities to local communities where culture is shaped. Judged by an expert jury including legendary oceanographer Dr. Sylvia Earle and film industry pioneers David Maisel and James Honeyborne, this year’s festival showcases cinema that doesn’t just inform—it transforms.
These are films that awaken depths within ourselves we didn’t know existed, revealing that our fate and the Ocean’s fate are inextricably intertwined.
Submissions are open through 13 February 2026.
