What’s On: Ocean Film Festival, Christchurch and Poole

A TOURING festival of films about life on and under the waves will visit Christchurch Regent Centre and Poole Lighthouse Theatre this autumn.

The event, which originates in Australia, features a selection of the world’s best ocean-themed short films, including freediving adventurers, sea swimming pioneers and conservation champions.

Now in its 10th year, the Ocean Film Festival is a cinematic celebration of the planet’s oceans, starring mind-boggling marine creatures, thrilling watersports, and highlighting the profound impact of a lifestyle connected to the ocean.

Festival founder Jemima Robinson said: “We started the Ocean Film Festival World Tour with big dreams, not only to inspire the world to explore and enjoy our oceans, but also to protect and respect them.”

This year’s festival highlights include Broken Breath featuring Italian free-diving champion Mike Maric, who was at the top of his sport when a tragic accident left his world shattered. Mike went from holding his breath for over five minutes, to being unable to hold it for 10 seconds.

Blue Tits tell the story of outdoor swimming pioneer Sian Richardson who went for a cold-water dip in Pembrokeshire in 2014, and inspired an international movement. She is founder of international outdoor swimming group Bluetits, which now has around 100,000 participants.

The Custodians follows a team of four Scottish conservationists who are restoring their local waters, one seagrass bed at a time. Commercial overfishing and boom trawling have turned Scotland’s once-thriving west coast waters into sparse, lifeless deserts. The team focus on reclaiming their natural coastline and restoring wildlife.

The Ocean Film Festival will be at Lighthouse Poole on Thursday 5th October and then at Christchurch Regent Centre on Thursday 23rd November. Tickets are from £18. For more information see www.oceanfilmfestival.co.uk