Dive into the Depths of the 13th Annual Ocean Film Festival World Tour Featuring 3 Standout Australian Films, Touring Australia This March
The Ocean Film Festival World Tour, now in its 13th year, is set to make a splash across Australia this March, returning with a powerful and visually stunning line-up of films that celebrate the ocean from every angle — above the surface, beneath the waves, and deep into the stories that connect us all to the sea.
This year’s tour promises an unforgettable night out for ocean lovers, featuring three remarkable films from Australian filmmakers, alongside three equally inspiring international films.From high-stakes adventure and record-breaking journeys to intimate portraits of marine life and environmental restoration, the 2026 program is packed with breathtaking cinematography, inspiring characters, and a deep respect for the ocean and the communities shaped by it.
One of the standout films in the 2026 program is The Raftsmen, an epic story of courage and endurance. Twelve unlikely adventurers from seven different countries come together to attempt a feat few would dare imagine — crossing the world’s largest ocean on three handmade wooden rafts, guided only by the sun and stars. Battling storms, starvation and the psychological toll of life at sea, their six-month journey remains the longest raft expedition ever completed. Now, fifty years later, the original 16mm footage has been beautifully restored into 4K by a Brisbane based filmmaker, allowing modern audiences to witness the sheer scale of this once-in-a-lifetime ocean odyssey.
Jemima Robinson, Founder and CEO of the Ocean Film Festival World Tour, says the 2026 season continues the festival’s mission to share ocean stories that move, inspire and connect audiences.
“As we head into our 13th year, the Ocean Film Festival World Tour remains a celebration of the ocean in all its beauty, power and vulnerability,” said Robinson.
“Each film in the 2026 program offers something special — whether it’s extraordinary adventure, breathtaking marine life, the people dedicating their lives to protecting the sea or a call to action from our audience. We can’t wait to bring this year’s line-up to Australian audiences this March.”
The 2026 festival program also showcases a diverse mix of films that span science, conservation, surf culture and wildlife wonder — including The Kelp Collector, a beautifully intimate Australian short following retired scientist Sandy Webb as she documents and preserves the algae species of Port Phillip Bay, and A Dragon’s Dance, an underwater poetic tribute to the leafy sea dragon and the extraordinary biodiversity of Australia’s Great Southern Reef.
International films also take audiences far beyond home waters, including Stone Biter: Saving The Arctic Sea Forests from Norway, a powerful story of restoration and hope in a fragile Arctic ecosystem, and Antarctica: Domain One from Argentina, narrated by surfing icon Kelly Slater, which follows two brothers on an expedition through Antarctica while shining a spotlight on climate impacts and the urgent need for Marine Protected Areas.
Adding even more heart to the line-up is Brazil’s TAINÁ, an inspiring portrait of professional surfer Tainá Hinckel as she reflects on her journey through surfing, identity and ambition — pursuing the dream of Olympic qualification and taking on some of the world’s most dangerous waves.
Robinson says what makes the Ocean Film Festival World Tour so special is the way it brings people together through a shared love of the sea.
“It’s always incredible to see audiences come out year after year — not just to watch beautiful films, but to feel part of something bigger,” Robinson said.
“The ocean connects all of us, and this event is a chance to celebrate that connection on the big screen.”
The family-friendly Ocean Film Festival World Tour 2026 kicks off across Australia this March, touring nationally and inviting audiences to immerse themselves in a night of unforgettable ocean storytelling.
Tickets are available via oceanfilmfestivalaustralia.com.au
Film Descriptions
THE RAFTSMEN (tour edit)
Australia : 48 minutes
Twelve misfits from seven countries unite on an explorer’s crazy dream. Their aim is to cross the world’s largest ocean on three handmade wooden rafts with only the stars and sun to guide them. Battling storms, sharks and psychological demons, their epic six months at sea remains the world’s longest ever raft journey. Now, fifty years on, their original 16mm footage has been beautifully remastered into 4K and the surviving raftsmen finally share their incredible story.
THE KELP COLLECTOR
Australia : 5 minutes
After decades dedicated to a career in science, Sandy Webb has found a new passion in retirement: meticulously collecting and cataloguing the diverse algae species that inhabit the waters of Port Phillip Bay near her Williamstown home. With the precision of a scientist and the eye of an artist, she transforms her marine discoveries into exquisite pressed seaweed specimens. This intimate portrait reveals how Sandy’s dedication to documenting local marine life connects her more deeply to the coastal environment she calls home.
STONE BITER: SAVING THE ARCTIC SEA FORESTS
Norway: 20 minutes
When an Italian photographer moves to Northern Norway, he carries a dream: to explore the icy Arctic waters and film the iconic wolffish amongst lush kelp forests. But beneath the surface, he finds a stark reality – an ocean floor stripped bare, where the once-thriving sea forests have nearly vanished.
As Ismaele learns to navigate the cold, unfamiliar sea, he unravels the mystery of the missing kelp. Along the way, he meets scientists, volunteers, and local experts who refuse to give up on the ocean they love. Together, they’re building a new kind of movement rooted in resilience, restoration, and hope.
ANTARCTICA: DOMAIN ONE
Argentina: 27 minutes
Narrated by surfing legend Kelly Slater, this stunning documentary follows two Argentinian brothers on an extraordinary expedition to the end of the Earth. United by their passion for riding waves and protecting our oceans, the Gauchos del Mar embark on a sailing, trekking, and surfing adventure through Antarctica’s breathtaking landscapes.
But this journey reveals more than spectacular scenery and incredible wildlife encounters. As they navigate wild weather and pristine waters, the brothers witness firsthand the fragile balance of a continent under siege – from the accelerating impacts of climate change to industrial fishing fleets decimating vital krill populations that sustain the entire Antarctic ecosystem.
Antarctica belongs to all of us. Yet without urgent action to establish Marine Protected Areas, we risk losing this irreplaceable wilderness forever.
This is more than a film about adventure. It’s a powerful rallying cry for the conservation of our planet’s last great frontier – and a reminder that what happens in Antarctica affects us all.
Will you answer the call?
A DRAGON’S DANCE
Australia: 5 minutes
Beneath the waves of Australia’s Great Southern Reef, a creature of myth and wonder performs an ancient ritual.
This mesmerising short film follows the enchanting lifecycle of the leafy sea dragon, one of the ocean’s most extraordinary and elusive inhabitants. Cloaked in nature’s most intricate disguise, these delicate dragons drift through their kelp kingdom with a grace that defies their struggle to survive.
From courtship displays that shimmer with otherworldly grace to the remarkable moment when males cradle precious eggs on their own bodies, witness an intimate portrait of nature’s most devoted fathers. Through changing seasons and shifting currents, we journey alongside these fragile masters of disguise as they navigate the challenges of life in one of the world’s most biodiverse temperate reefs.
Part wildlife documentary, part underwater poetry, “A Dragon’s Dance” captures the delicate beauty and resilience of a species found nowhere else on Earth – and reminds us why protecting Australia’s Great Southern Reef matters now more than ever.
Prepare to be spellbound by nature’s most elegant dancer.
TAINÁ
Brazil: 15 minutes
The life story of Tainá Hinckel, a prominent Brazilian professional surfer, unfolds through dives into her memories, woven together with intimate talks, old photographs, and letters written to herself. From her small town childhood to the challenges of being a woman in surfing, Tainá faces her greatest dream and challenge: competing for her first Olympic Game in one of the most dangerous waves in the world’s surfing, at Teahupoo in Tahiti.
Tour Dates & Locations
AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY
Canberra — National Film & Sound Archives
McCoy Circuit, Acton
- Wednesday, 11 March 2026 — 7:00pm–10:00pm
- Thursday, 12 March 2026 — 7:00pm–10:00pm
- Friday, 13 March 2026 — 7:00pm–10:00pm
NEW SOUTH WALES
Avalon Beach — United Cinemas
39 Old Barrenjoey Rd, Avalon Beach
- Friday, 20 March 2026 — 6:30pm–9:30pm
Avoca Beach — Avoca Beach Picture Theatre
69 Avoca Drive, Avoca Beach
- Thursday, 5 March 2026 — 7:00pm–10:00pm
Brunswick Heads — Brunswick Picture House
30 Fingal St, Brunswick Heads
- Friday, 6 March 2026 — 7:00pm–10:00pm
- Saturday, 7 March 2026 — 7:00pm–10:00pm
Coffs Harbour — Jetty Memorial Theatre
337 Harbour Drive, Coffs Harbour
- Friday, 20 March 2026 — 7:00pm–10:00pm
Forster / Tuncurry — Great Lakes Cinema 3
108 Manning Street, Tuncurry
- Friday, 13 March 2026 — 7:00pm–10:00pm
Newcastle (Kotara) — Event Cinemas
Westfield Kotara Rooftop, Cnr Northcott Dr & Park Ave, Kotara
- Wednesday, 11 March 2026 — 7:00pm–10:00pm
Sydney City — Event Cinemas
505/525 George St, Sydney NSW 2000
- Wednesday, 18 March 2026 — 6:15pm–9:30pm (Allocated Seating)
Sydney East (Randwick) — Randwick Ritz
43 St Pauls St, Randwick
- Tuesday, 10 March 2026 — 7:00pm–10:00pm
- Wednesday, 11 March 2026 — 7:00pm–10:00pm
Sydney North (Cremorne) — Hayden Orpheum
380 Military Rd, Cremorne
- Thursday, 12 March 2026 — 7:00pm–10:00pm
- Friday, 13 March 2026 — 7:00pm–10:00pm
Wollongong — Uni Movies UOW
University of Wollongong, University Hall, Northfields Ave
- Thursday, 19 March 2026 — 7:00pm–10:00pm
NORTHERN TERRITORY
Alice Springs — Araluen Arts Centre
61 Larapinta Drive
Box Office: (08) 8951 1120
- Thursday, 5 March 2026 — 7:00pm–10:00pm
Darwin — Deckchair Cinema
Jervois Rd, Darwin
- Tuesday, 16 June 2026 — 7:00pm–10:00pm
- Wednesday, 17 June 2026 — 7:00pm–10:00pm
QUEENSLAND
Brisbane — Brisbane Powerhouse
119 Lamington St, New Farm
- Wednesday, 11 March 2026 — 7:00pm–10:00pm
- Thursday, 12 March 2026 — 7:00pm–10:00pm
- Friday, 13 March 2026 — 7:00pm–10:00pm
- Saturday, 14 March 2026 — 2:00pm–5:00pm
- Saturday, 14 March 2026 — 7:00pm–10:00pm
Cairns — Cairns Performing Arts Centre
9–11 Florence St, Cairns City
- Friday, 13 March 2026 — 7:00pm–10:00pm
Gold Coast — Home of the Arts
135 Bundall Rd, Surfers Paradise
- Thursday, 5 March 2026 — 7:00pm–10:00pm
Noosa — The J
60 Noosa Drive, Noosa Heads
- Wednesday, 18 March 2026 — 7:00pm–10:00pm
- Thursday, 19 March 2026 — 7:00pm–10:00pm
Townsville — Townsville Civic Theatre
41 Boundary St, South Townsville
- Thursday, 12 March 2026 — 7:00pm–10:00pm
SOUTH AUSTRALIA
Adelaide — The Capri Theatre
141 Goodwood Rd, Goodwood
- Saturday, 14 March 2026 — 7:00pm–10:00pm
Victor Harbor — Victa Cinema
37–41 Ocean St, Victor Harbor
- Saturday, 27 June 2026 — 7:00pm–10:00pm
TASMANIA
Hobart — Wrest Point Casino
410 Sandy Bay Rd, Sandy Bay
- Thursday, 19 March 2026 — 7:00pm–10:00pm
Launceston — Star Theatre
217b Invermay Rd, Invermay
- Friday, 20 March 2026 — 7:00pm–10:00pm
VICTORIA
Geelong — Village Cinemas
194–200 Ryrie St, Geelong VIC 3220
- Wednesday, 25 March 2026 — 6:30pm–9:30pm
Melbourne (Astor) — Astor Theatre
1 Chapel St, St Kilda
- Wednesday, 18 March 2026 — 7:00pm–10:00pm
Melbourne (RMIT Capitol) — RMIT Capitol
113 Swanston St, Melbourne
- Friday, 20 March 2026 — 7:00pm–10:00pm
Rosebud — Peninsula Cinemas Rosebud
30 Rosebud Parade, Rosebud
- Thursday, 12 March 2026 — 7:00pm–10:00pm
Phillip Island — Berninneit Theatre
91–97 Thompson Ave, Cowes
- 10–12 July 2025 — 6:30pm–9:30pm (On Sale Soon)
Warrnambool — Capitol Cinema
54 Kepler St, Warrnambool
- Thursday, 26 March 2026 — 7:00pm–10:00pm
WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Albany — Albany Entertainment Centre
2 Toll Pl, Albany
- Friday, 20 March 2026 — 7:00pm–10:00pm
Broome — Sun Pictures
Canarvon St, Broome
- Saturday, 7 March 2026 — 7:00pm–10:00pm
Bunbury — Bunbury Regional Entertainment Centre
2 Blair St, Bunbury
- Thursday, 19 March 2026 — 7:00pm–10:00pm
Geraldton — Queens Park Theatre
Cathedral Ave, Geraldton WA 6531
- Saturday, 21 March 2026 — 7:00pm–10:00pm
Margaret River — Margaret River HEART (Main Theatre)
47 Wallcliffe Road, Margaret River
- Saturday, 21 March 2026 — 7:00pm–10:00pm
Perth — State Theatre Centre of WA
174–176 William St, Perth
- Wednesday, 11 March 2026 — 7:00pm–10:00pm
- Thursday, 12 March 2026 — 7:00pm–10:00pm
- Friday, 13 March 2026 — 7:00pm–10:00pm
- Saturday, 14 March 2026 — 2:00pm–5:00pm
- Saturday, 14 March 2026 — 7:00pm–10:00pm
