Film submissions for 2013 are now closed  – the deadline was February 21. Submissions will be announced during the week of March 11, 2013. Stay tuned!

General Submission Criteria

We invite submissions from anyone— scientists, professional filmmakers, students, and advocates …if you have a good story, we want it! If you are interested in being involved in our festival in the future, here are some general guidelines:

• Film must tie into some ocean/marine/aquatic theme or issue (underwater footage not required). A research and/conservation theme are encouraged but not required. We welcome films with all types of themes and tones, but we also want to highlight ocean success stories!

• A strong narrative or story is preferred.

• Length: we urge filmmakers to submit short pieces that are 10 minutes or less. Films selected for the flagship screening in at the Benthic Ecology Meeting must be under 15 minutes (this is the absolute cut-off). We will accept longer entries for future exhibition in traveling festival events throughout the year, yet the time/date of these events have yet to be officially confirmed.

• Film and its contents must be your original work.

Austin Gallagher introduces the 2012 festival in Norfolk, VA