International Ocean Film Festival Participates in Third Annual CINEMARE

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24 October 2018 – San Francisco, CA: When the Third Annual CINEMARE International Ocean Film Festival opens today in Kiel, Germany, it will owe more than a bit of inspiration to its Sister City San Francisco. In 2017, the San Francisco based International Ocean Film Festival (www.intloceanfilmfest.org), celebrating its 16th season next March, hosted the first film program exchange between the two groups. The exchange took part in San Francisco, attended by dignitaries of the San Francisco / Kiel Sister City Committee and then San Francisco Mayor Mark Farrell, whose family hails from Kiel. CINEMARE marks the first cultural exchange between Kiel and San Francisco.

“San Francisco and Kiel are both cities that love, respect and understand the vital importance of the oceans,” said Ana Blanco, Executive Director of the San Francisco based International Ocean Film Festival. “It’s an honor to be here in Kiel this week. Ocean sister-hood is powerful.”

During the Festival in Kiel, Blanco will sign a memorandum of understanding with CINEMARE to facilitate future and ongoing collaborations.

CINEMARE will host five-days of films, special events, parties, and art programs for people of all ages in eight venues across the city of Kiel.

The International Ocean Film Festival and CINEMARE will participate in an official recognition of its partnership during the Opening Ceremony at Kiel City Hall on Wednesday, October 24 at 6pm local time. A full program of films from the International Ocean Film Festival will be screened on Friday, October 26 at the Studio Film Theater at 9pm local time.

“CINEMARE and the International Ocean Film Festival share a rich heritage,” said Blanco. “Both San Francisco and Kiel are ocean faring port cities. It is important to collaborate across the oceans that unite us, the very same ones that we strive to protect through the powerful messaging of film.”

Since its launch in 2004, the San Francisco-based International Ocean Film Festival has attracted thousands of spectators of all ages from around the world, including film enthusiasts, sea athletes, educators, and environmental supporters. Since then, the Festival has presented over 50 films from 15 different countries and featured post-film Q&A sessions with visiting filmmakers, special panel discussions with content experts, and the Annual Free Student Education Program. It was the first event of its kind in North America, inspired by the well-established ocean festival in Toulon, France, which has continued to draw large audiences for more than 40 years.

The 16th Annual International Ocean Film Festival will take place March 7-10, 2019 at venues around San Francisco. The International Ocean Film Festival is a registered 501(c) 3 non-profit.