Education Program

Announcing the 3rd Annual Student Film Competition!

In 2012, our inaugural launch of a student film competition was met with overwhelming interest as students from across the country submitted their films about the ocean. In 2013 a broader outreach effort and increased sponsorship support resulted in an overwhelming number of submissions. We were honored to screen these submissions in a dedicated program during at the 10th Annual San Francisco International Film Festival in March 2013

Awards were presented to the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners. The first-place winner received  a $500 cash prize and the second and third place winners each received a GoPro camera. We congratulate all participating students for their hard work and creativity!

On June 1, 2013 we are pleased to announce the launch of our 3rd Annual Student Film Competition!  Entries must be received by January 5, 2014. Winning films will be chosen on the basis of creativity and the ability to tell a story that leaves the audience better informed and/or moved about the oceans.  For more information and to download the Entry Form, click here: Student Film Competition Entry Form.

For a complete listing of how the films will be judged, please refer to our Scoring Rubric.

Need help getting started? We’ve compiled a great list of ocean related resources and ideas on how to get your film started: Student Film Competition Resources.

Don’t forget – the deadline for submissions is January 5, 2014. For more information, please email us at education@oceanfilmfest.org

The 3rd Annual Student Film Competition is proudly sponsored by The Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary.  A big thank-you to our friends at Cordell Bank! Our sincere appreciation to GoPro for their generous in-kind donation of two GoPro cameras as prizes for our winners. 

The Free Student Education Program

Every year, SFIOFF hosts a Free Student Education Program for middle and high school students featuring exciting and inspirational ocean-themed films.  Following each screening, students participate in live Q&A sessions with filmmakers and marine scientists. Our 2013 program attracted more than 850 students from schools around Northern California. Our aim is to educate and inspire youth to take an active part in protecting our vital ocean ecosystems and encourage youth participation in the arts and documentary film making.

2013 Education Program Films

Befriending Giants
Cordell Bank: A Sound Investment
Double Devotion
Flamboyant
Isla Coronado Ghost Net
Jacques Cousteau Memories
Ma Forteresse
Marine Litter
Oracle Team USA – Tryout for Red Bull Youth America’s Cup
Scars of Freedom
Sinistre
Song of the Spindle

Our Vision

• Extending our mission to many more students through road shows in the Bay Area and beyond, also producing a live, televised simulcast of our two-day festival, providing a “live experience” of our film screenings and Q&A sessions with film makers and scientists in real time.
• Creating a competition and awards program for best student films – serving to inspire budding documentary film makers.
• Establish SFIOFF as a working forum for Bay Area film and environmental studies programs. SFIOFF will provide an opportunity for students from diverse backgrounds and schools to gather and learn from each other as well as from experts from around the world.

For More Information

Due to great demand and limited seating in the SFIOFF Education Program, be sure to reserve your seating for your school soon by contacting our Education Program Coordinators at education@oceanfilmfest.org or by calling (415) 561-6251. Admission is by a reserve-in-advance voucher only.