Education Program

The Free Student Education Program

To educate and inspire youth in the Bay Area and beyond to take an active part in protecting our vital ocean ecosystems and encourage youth participation in the arts and documentary film making.

Program Overview

Every year, SFOFF hosts a free program for middle and high school students featuring exciting and inspirational ocean-themed films.  After the screening of carefully selected films, students participate in live Q&A sessions with filmmakers and marine scientists. Our 2011 program attracted more than 750 students.

Download NOAA, Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuaries Questions

2012 Education Program Films

Connection
 (USA), Skyler Thomas, 2 min

Gigantic Jenga
(Hong Kong), Josefina Bergsten, 5 min

The Great Huki
(USA) John Maienza, 7 min

Into the Deep: Tracking Elephant Seals
(USA), Sheraz Sadiq, 12 min

Ocean Oases: Protecting Seamounts and Canyons of the Atlantic
(USA), Dylan Gasperk, 7 mins

Pacific Drifters
(USA) Nannette Van Antwerp, 5 min

Purpose
(USA), Skyler Thomas, 2 min

St. Francis Yacht Club Heavy Weather Slalom 2011
(USA), Vincent Casalaina, 4 min

Whale Disentanglement Network
(U.S. Outlying Islands, USA), John Dutton, 5 min

Whale Fall
(USA), Sharon Shattuck, 4 min

Rave Reviews For the Student Program

Thank you for providing a venue for the student films. If we want these kids to be a part of changing the world we must give them the voice and opportunity to do so. By giving them a chance to speak to a wider audience we give them the confidence to take a place in the conversation and we validate their point of view. Thank you for taking that risk.”
~Jeff R. Manker, Gilroy High School

Thank you for including us this year and I hope you will think of us in the future. My students will be making short films this year as part of their senior projects. I’ll forward any of the projects that look promising”
~Patrick Adams, Bellarmine College Preparatory

The Ocean Film Festival was the best afternoon we had all year!”
~ 2007 Education Program student participant

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 SFOFF as a working forum for Bay Area film and environmental studies programs. SFOFF 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 SFOFF Education Program, be sure to reserve your seating for your school soon by contacting our Education Program Coordinators, Diane and Bob Brockob at education@oceanfilmfest.org or by calling (415) 447-7992. Admission is by a reserve-in-advance voucher only.