08 May Concepción prepares to experience the 3rd International Sea Film Festival
With 17 documentaries from around the world in competition, an expert jury and free screenings at various venues, the festival seeks to connect science, art and ocean culture with the community.
The city of Concepción is preparing to host the third version of the International Marine Film Festival, to be held May 8-10, 2025. This year marks a significant milestone, as the festival, originally organized by the Millennium Institute of Oceanography (IMO), is presented for the first time as an independent event, following its successful previous versions in 2022 and 2023 under the umbrella of the Puerto de Ideas Festival.
This year, the marine film festival returns recharged and is organized by the University of Concepción, the Oceans Institute, the Millennium Institute of Oceanography, plus a score of institutions that join the event as sponsors, sponsors, collaborators and media partners.
Under the direction of Pablo Rosenblatt and a team that includes Osvaldo Ulloa (deputy director), Bárbara Léniz (production and education), Paulina Hernández (communications), Edwin Rodríguez (marketing), Felipe Gamonal (artistic director) and the support of the UdeC Communications Office, the festival maintains its mission to “question, debate and think, together, about an inspiring future”. Rosenblatt emphasizes that the objective is “to act as a bridge between artistic activities and scientific knowledge, facilitating exchange and dialogue, to provide the public with the keys to understand current scientific challenges and their social impact”.
The films in competition
The call for entries for this independent edition attracted massive global interest, with 615 documentary submissions from 77 countries. From this vast selection, 17 productions have been chosen to compete in two categories: “Best Feature Film” (over 40 minutes) and “Best Short Film” (up to 40 minutes). All the films share a common thread centered on the seas and oceans, explored from scientific, artistic and cultural perspectives.
The selected films come from Belgium, France, the United States, Canada, Uruguay, Greece, Chile, Slovenia, Kenya, the United Kingdom and Brazil, and are as follows:
Feature Films in Competition:
- “Austral” (Bélgica/Chile)
- “Por amor a los tiburones” (Francia)
- “Vigilantes del Océano” (EEUU/Internacional)
- “Secretos del abismo” (EEUU)
- “La búsqueda azul: Palawan” (Francia)
- “Secretos del salmón” (Canadá)
- “Mar de Lobos” (Uruguay)
Short Films in Competition:
- “4 Cuevas” (Grecia)
- “Al final del día” (Chile)
- “Perseguidores de la Oscuridad” (Eslovenia)
- “La Estación de Limpieza del Arrecife de Coral” (Kenia)
- “¿Por qué culpar a las gaviotas?” (Reino Unido/Argentina)
- “El bebé más viejo que la madre” (Chile)
- “Banda, una odisea en las islas olvidadas de Indonesia” (Francia/Indonesia)
- “Belov: Una vida en el mar” (Brasil)
- “Bosque submarino” (Chile)
- “Mar, Madre” (Francia/Internacional)
Free for everyone
A jury of five distinguished experts will evaluate these productions: Coti Donoso (filmmaker), Philippe Boisier (architect and filmmaker), Osvaldo Ulloa (oceanographer and deputy director of the festival), Bernardo Menz (sound designer) and Isabella Cichero (producer and cultural manager).
True to its spirit of dissemination and accessibility, all the festival’s functions and activities will be completely free of charge, without the need for prior registration and open to the public. The screenings will be held at the Auditorium of the Medical College of Concepción, the Auditorium of the University of Concepción, located in the Faculty of Humanities and Arts of the UdeC, and the Claudio Gay Auditorium of the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Oceanography UdeC. In addition, Room 100 of the Artistas del Acero Cultural Corporation will host the festival’s educational program, aimed at the school community.
The organization of the Festival Internacional de Cine del Mar will announce the complete program and detailed schedule during the current month of April.
The entire community of Concepción and the Biobío Region is invited to participate in this unique encounter with cinema and ocean science!
The event’s schedule will soon be available at marcinefest.cl.
Organization and Support
The 3rd International Marine Film Festival is organized by the University of Concepción, the Oceans Institute and the Millennium Institute of Oceanography (IMO).
This event is made possible thanks to the sponsorship of Arauco and Holiday Inn Express Concepción, and is sponsored by El Mostrador.
Collaborating by providing spaces and locations: Artistas del Acero, Colegio Médico Consejo Regional Concepción, the Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Oceanográficas UdeC and the Vicerrectoría de Vinculación con el Medio UdeC.
Other collaborating institutions include: Ilustre Municipalidad de Concepción, Sono, COPAS Coastal, Centro INCAR, Centro de Instrumentación Oceanográfica (CIO), Instituto Milenio SECOS, PROSUB Ltda, Fundación Ciencia y Vida, Imago Producciones, GVG Producciones and Servicio Local de Educación Pública Andalién Sur.