The first annual Oceanic Global Short Film Festival launched in Summer 2020, aiming to address issues that came to light during the pandemic ranging from financial uncertainty for freelancers in the creative industries, the demand for educational & environmental online content, as well as the dangerous increase in plastic driven by COVID-19. Inspiring positive behavioral change at all levels is required for us to live in balance with nature. In this digital age, film making is a universal language that can create this bridge.
Following an open call for entries, films were scored by a panel of expert judges to determine the festival’s Top 10 Finalists. A period of artist spotlights and social media voting secured the Final Four Films, with winning filmmakers going on to discuss the power of art in igniting change during a virtual screening with EarthxTV and winning a one-on-one mentorship session with an acclaimed producer, director, or filmmaker.
Final Four Films: Screening Premiere With EarthxTV
Oceanic Global partnered with EarthxTV to explore the power of film in driving positive change as we announced the winners of the Oceanic Global Short Film Festival. On December 3, 2020, we screened the Final Four Films, featured the winning filmmakers to discuss their work, and hosted a panel discussion with experts in the film making industry. ?
Watch the full film screening & panel segment premiere below:
Top 10 Finalists & Tulum Screening
Together with our friends at HABITAS Tulum, we screened all of the Oceanic Global Short Film Festival Top 10 Final Films on November 15, 2020 at this year’s Art With Me festival, hosted in the Tulum community. Introduced by by actress & activist Nat Kelley & Habitas co-founder Eduardo Castillo, the event highlighted the film festival finalists and showcased the link between art as a means of communication in the conservation movement.
Recycled To Ride by Anna Wilder Burns & Jack Bouchard
Mystique Sequence by Tim Georgeson
Lessons From Jeju by Nicole Gormley
Our Plastic Beach by Christopher Thomas
Turning Tides by Jo Guthrie & City To Sea
Our Responsibility: Blue Habits Palau by Ben Hamilton
Iceberg Licking Society by Nathan Ceddia
Murder at Sea by Mark Benjamin
I AM WATER by Danielle Davenport
Dive Tierra Bomba Dive by Joya Berrow & Lucy Jane
About The Oceanic Global Short Film Festival
The Oceanic Global Short Film Festival initiative was spearheaded by London Hub members Carlotta Bianchi and Elizabeth Aisher Crespi with the support of the London Hub. This project supported emerging filmmakers with an interest in sustainability, providing exposure through Oceanic Global and festival partner platforms and the opportunity to have their films assessed by a team of critically acclaimed directors, producers, and executive directors of international charities.
Oceanic Global Short Film Festival partners include EarthX, Ocean Culture Life, Matte Projects, The Klosters Forum, and Convicts.
As featured in: Screen Shot Magazine.
Themes
The festival accepted films between 3 – 15 minutes in length related to one or more of the below 5 themes.
The Current State of the Ocean
The Beauty of the Ocean
Marine Plastic Pollution
Innovation for a Sustainable Ocean
Human Interaction with the Ocean
Expert Judges
Shari Sant Plummer (Award-Winning Producer; President & Founder, Code Blue Charitable Foundation)
Jennifer Hile (Emmy Award-Nominated Director; Head of Production, OceanX)
Martha Jeffries (Award-Winning Director & Producer)
Luke Davies (Award-Winning Director)
Jenny Nichols (Award-Winning Filmmaker)
Jake Witzenfeld (Award-Winning Director, Producer & Writer)
Line Hadsbjerg (Award-Winning Director & Producer; Co-Founder, Cleanwave)
Brett Kincaid (Emmy Award-Winning Director & Producer; Co-Founder, Matte Projects)
Maximilian Guen (Founder & Executive Director, Magna Carta; UNICEF USA)
Preston Thompson (Director & Screenwriter)
Barron Hanson (Co-Founder & General Manager, Convicts)