Ocean Film Festival World Tour
The PLAYHOUSE Whitley Bay is delighted to inform that North East audiences will be able to immerse themselves in the wonders of the ocean, without getting their feet wet as the Ocean Film Festival World Tour returns the theatre this autumn, on September 25th. After a highly successful first Tour in 2014, the festival which originates in Australia, will feature a brand new selection of the world’s most captivating ocean-themed short films and will be shown in 24 towns and cities across the UK.
Designed to mesmerise and enthral, the Ocean Film Festival World Tour showcases more than two hours of sublime footage taken above and below the water’s surface. The films document the beauty and power of the ocean, and celebrate the divers, surfers, swimmers and oceanographers who live for the sea’s salt spray; who chase the crests of waves; and who marvel at the mysteries of the big blue. Heart-stopping shots of big wave surfing and adrenalin-inducing scenes of divers swimming with white sharks will leave audiences on the edges of their seats. The films also encourage viewers to dive head first into ocean culture as the festival is filled with touching interviews and insightful narrations from the characters whose lives are inspired by the ocean.
All films convey a deep respect and appreciation for the world’s oceans and the creatures that call them home. A selection of 2015 highlights includes Devocean; South African born Bruno has spent the majority of his life in or on the water, but in 1998 a tragic event left him with severe disabilities. In an instant he plunged from carefree surf guide, sailor, scuba diver and traveller to the depths of despair. A chance wave and the restorative powers of the ocean showed Bruno a new path in life, one that would be rich, full, diverse and salty. Devocean is an inspirational story of life’s lessons as taught by the sea.
Oceanminded; the film, follows champion freediver Hanli Prinsloo along the coast of South Africa and Mozambique. Her underwater journey takes her into the realm of the ocean’s most feared predator – the shark. The often feared creatures are portrayed in a very different light, one of beauty and respect. It´s an adventure full of risks and passions all on one breath.
A Small Surfer; Known as the Flying Squirrel, Quincy Symonds may well be the best six-year-old surfer and skater on the planet. The Queenslander only started surfing about 18 months ago and, in a very short time, has captured the attention of the surfing world, gained multiple sponsors and garnered a fanatical following on social media. Prepare to be gobsmacked!
The Ocean Film Festival World Tour should be missed by no sports fan, nature fan or adrenaline junkie. With a wealth of new talent to be seen 2015 is guaranteed to exhilarate. What’s more The 2015 UK Ocean Film Festival World Tour will donate 25p from every ticket sold to Project Aware and Surfers Against Sewage (SAS). Project AWARE Foundation is a growing movement of scuba divers protecting the ocean planet one dive at a time. SAS is an environmental charity protecting the UK’s oceans, waves and beaches for all to enjoy safely and sustainably. Ocean Film Festival are very pleased to be working in partnership with both charities and hope the Tour will raise awareness of the essential work undertaken by these organisations, while at the same time, raising valuable funds to continue their work.