CONTACT:
Debbie Kinder
(727)-466-8016
dk@blueoceanfilmfestival.org
AWARD WINNERS ANNOUNCED FOR BLUE OCEAN FILM FESTIVAL;
THE COVE TAKES BEST OF FESTIVAL
Dr. Sylvia Earle Accepts Lifetime Achievement Award
June 13, 2009 (Savannah, Georgia) —With over 200 ocean-related film entries from around the world, BLUE Ocean Film Festival awarded its Best of Festival award to The Cove, produced by Oceanic Preservation Society. The award was accepted by filmmakers Simon Hutchins and Greg “Moondog” Mooney. Finalists for Best of Festival included The Cove, Call of the Killer Whale (Ocean Futures Society), Saving Luna (Mountainside Film), Terra Antarctica (Oceans 8), The Great Tide (BBC Natural History Unit) and Wild Ocean (Giant Screen Films).
During the Awards Ceremony Ocean Explorer Celine Cousteau presented the Lifetime Achievement Award for Ocean Advocacy to Dr. Sylvia Earle, widely recognized as one of the world's most influential ambassadors for the oceans. Dr. Earle has authored more than 175 publications, received more than 100 national and international awards including Time magazine's first "hero for the planet" in 1998, the prestigious TED Prize in 2009, and was instrumental in adding the oceans to Google Earth 5.0. A botanist, biologist, conservationist & entrepreneur, She has transcended many boundaries in her career, including an untethered walk on the sea floor at a lower depth than any other human being. Dr. Earle served as chief scientist for NOAA from 1990-1992 and is currently a National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence. To further honor Dr. Earle, BLUE will name the lifetime achievement award in her honor going forward.
Festival Award Winners by Category, Title and Producer:
Broadcast Program or Series—Call of the Killer Whale, Ocean Futures Society
Children's Programming—Riddle in a Bottle, Sisbro Studios
Emerging Underwater Filmmaker Finalists—Death of a Deity, 333 Productions
Excellence in Underwater Cinematography—Ocean Odyssey, Feodor Pitcairn Productions
Land-Sea Connection—Red Gold, Felt Soul Media
Marine Animal Behavior—The Great Tide, BBC Natural History Unit
Marine and Earth Sciences—Volcanoes of the Deep, The Stephen Low Company
Non-Broadcast—Ocean Odyssey, Feodor Pitcairn Productions
Ocean Conservation—A Sheltered Sea, The Baum Foundation/ Coyote Films
Ocean Exploration and Adventure—Expedition Pacific Abyss, Discovery
Ocean Issues—Terra Antarctica, Oceans 8
Ocean Sports—Free Swim, Reel Blue
Shorts—Oysters, Farmer's Almanac TV
Theatrical—The Cove, Oceanic Preservation Society
Special Jury Award—Ice Bears of the Beaufort, PolarArt Productions
Best of Festival—The Cove, Oceanic Preservation Society
Approximately 300 industry delegates attended the inaugural BLUE Ocean Film Festival, which featured presentations and panels by industry leaders from ocean filmmaking, broadcasting, research, photography, conservation and government. Film screenings and select special events were also open to the public, attracting thousands of community patrons to view the finalist films and hear from the filmmakers.
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BLUE Ocean Film Festival is a global film and conservation event founded to “promote, honor and share films that inspire people to protect or oceans and the life within.” BLUE simultaneously hosted Industry and Community Festivals; June 10-14, 2009 in Savannah, Georgia. Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary, located just off the coast of Savannah, was host sponsor for the event. In 2009-2010 Georgia Aquarium and National Marine Sanctuaries, both sponsors of BLUE, will host BLUE on Tour in their respective locations, reaching 16 major U.S. cities. For more information on BLUE visit www.bluefilmfest.com.
BLUE Ocean Film Festival is presented by Make A Difference Media (MADM), a 501c3 non-profit organization committed to using the power of film to make a positive impact on important global issues. MADM is headquartered in Tampa, Florida. For more information visit www.makeadifferencemedia.org.
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