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Dive into the ocean depths with a powerful and visually stunning line-up of films that celebrate the ocean from above the surface, and beneath the waves.

The Ocean Film Festival World Tour, now in its 13th year, returns with a powerful and visually stunning line-up of films that celebrate the ocean from every angle - above the surface, beneath the waves and deep into the stories that connect us all to the sea. This unforgettable night out for ocean lovers features 3 remarkable films from Australian filmmakers, alongside 3 equally inspiring international films. From high-stakes adventures and record-breaking journeys to intimate portraits of marine life and environmental restoration, the program is packed with breathtaking cinematography, inspiring characters, and a deep respect for the ocean and the communities that shape it.

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Featured in this years program:

THE RAFTSMEN - Australia : 48 minutes 

Twelve misfits from seven countries unite on an explorer’s crazy dream. Their aim is to cross the world’s largest ocean on three handmade wooden rafts with only the stars and sun to guide them. Battling storms, sharks and psychological demons, their epic six months at sea remains the world’s longest ever raft journey. Now, fifty years on, their original 16mm footage has been beautifully remastered into 4K and the surviving raftsmen finally share their incredible story. 

THE KELP COLLECTOR - Australia : 5 minutes 

After decades dedicated to a career in science, Sandy Webb has found a new passion in retirement: meticulously collecting and cataloguing the diverse algae species that inhabit the waters of Port Phillip Bay near her Williamstown home. With the precision of a scientist and the eye of an artist, she transforms her marine discoveries into exquisite pressed seaweed specimens. This intimate portrait reveals how Sandy's dedication to documenting local marine life connects her more deeply to the coastal environment she calls home. 

STONE BITER: SAVING THE ARCTIC SEA FORESTS - Norway: 20 minutes 

When an Italian photographer moves to Northern Norway, he carries a dream: to explore the icy Arctic waters and film the iconic wolffish amongst lush kelp forests. But beneath the surface, he finds a stark reality - an ocean floor stripped bare, where the once-thriving sea forests have nearly vanished. 

As Ismaele learns to navigate the cold, unfamiliar sea, he unravels the mystery of the missing kelp. Along the way, he meets scientists, volunteers, and local experts who refuse to give up on the ocean they love. Together, they’re building a new kind of movement rooted in resilience, restoration, and hope. 

ANTARCTICA: DOMAIN ONE - Argentina: 27 minutes 

Narrated by surfing legend Kelly Slater, this stunning documentary follows two Argentinian brothers on an extraordinary expedition to the end of the Earth. United by their passion for riding waves and protecting our oceans, the Gauchos del Mar embark on a sailing, trekking, and surfing adventure through Antarctica's breathtaking landscapes. 

But this journey reveals more than spectacular scenery and incredible wildlife encounters. As they navigate wild weather and pristine waters, the brothers witness firsthand the fragile balance of a continent under siege – from the accelerating impacts of climate change to industrial fishing fleets decimating vital krill populations that sustain the entire Antarctic ecosystem. 

Antarctica belongs to all of us. Yet without urgent action to establish Marine Protected Areas, we risk losing this irreplaceable wilderness forever. 

This is more than a film about adventure. It's a powerful rallying cry for the conservation of our planet's last great frontier – and a reminder that what happens in Antarctica affects us all. 

A DRAGON’S DANCE - Australia: 5 minutes 

Beneath the waves of Australia's Great Southern Reef, a creature of myth and wonder performs an ancient ritual. 

This mesmerising short film follows the enchanting lifecycle of the leafy sea dragon, one of the ocean's most extraordinary and elusive inhabitants. Cloaked in nature's most intricate disguise, these delicate dragons drift through their kelp kingdom with a grace that defies their struggle to survive. 

From courtship displays that shimmer with otherworldly grace to the remarkable moment when males cradle precious eggs on their own bodies, witness an intimate portrait of nature's most devoted fathers. Through changing seasons and shifting currents, we journey alongside these fragile masters of disguise as they navigate the challenges of life in one of the world's most biodiverse temperate reefs. 

Part wildlife documentary, part underwater poetry, 'A Dragon's Dance' captures the delicate beauty and resilience of a species found nowhere else on Earth – and reminds us why protecting Australia's Great Southern Reef matters now more than ever. 

Prepare to be spellbound by nature's most elegant dancer. 

TAINÁ - Brazil: 15 minutes 

The life story of Tainá Hinckel, a prominent Brazilian professional surfer, unfolds through dives into her memories, woven together with intimate talks, old photographs, and letters written to herself. From her small town childhood to the challenges of being a woman in surfing, Tainá faces her greatest dream and challenge: competing for her first Olympic Game in one of the most dangerous waves in the world's surfing, at Teahupoo in Tahiti.