International Ocean Film Tour Vol. 10

Sunday, 11th August 2024

Supporting Act: MarLeo

Acoustic Duo | 6:00 – 7:00 pm

Behind the duo ‘MarLeo’ are Martha and Pascal, two young musicians from Rostock. With guitar, voice and loop station, they reinterpret pop covers from A to Z, but their own songs are not forgotten either. In doing so, they move on the edge of different musical styles that can be categorised somewhere in the intersection of pop, folk and oldies.

#1 OLDER THAN TREES

Environmental protection | 17:00 min | 2023 | South Africa

Sharks and rays have been around for more than 400 million years. Some species were already swimming through the oceans before there were any trees on earth. But these ancient species are in danger. Marine biologist James Lea has only been researching sharks for 20 years and has already witnessed a huge population decline during this short time. The animals are being hunted on a grand scale and their populations are no longer able to recover.
But how can we reverse this trend? This is the question that has been driving James Lea for years. He wants to find out how healthy ecosystems function and which areas should be designated as marine protected areas so that the animals can live in peace again and the ocean is in balance. OLDER THAN TREES tells the story of his research and his successes in establishing marine protected areas, so-called Hope Spots.

  • Directing: Pippa Ehrlich

  • Production: South Africa, Save Our Seas Foundation in collaboration with Sea Change Project

#2 ICE MERMAID

Ice swimming | 25:00 min | 2022 | USA

As soon as ice swimmer Melissa Kegler from Seattle got her first ice mile under her belt, she was already hungry for more. Instead of one mile (approx. 1.6 kilometres), she now wants to swim more than two kilometres in icy water and set a new American record. Swimming in water below five degrees Celsius, and without a wetsuit, is extremely physically demanding. Melissa has been training for this sporting challenge for years.

  • Directing: Dan McComb

  • Production: USA, Dan McComb

#3 BORN TO WINDSURF

Windsurf | 25:00 min | 2023 |Austria

‘When you compete, winning is the only thing that matters.’
That is Bjørn Dunkerbeck’s motto. As a windsurfer, he has won a total of 42 world championship titles. But can he do more? Now the 51-year-old wants to give it another go and has set his sights on a new world speed record.
In BORN TO WINDSURF, we accompany him to Namibia, where he will attempt to break 100 km/h on his surfboard at the Lüderitz Speed Challenge. Meanwhile, also competing at world-class level: his son Liam, who is following in his father’s sporting footsteps.

‘WHEN YOU’RE COMPETING, WINNING IS THE ONLY THING THAT MATTERS.’ – BJÖRN DUNKERBECK

 

  • Directing: Gerald Salmina

  • Production: Austria, Planet Watch

#4 THE RETURN TO ANTARCTICA

Nature preservation // Krill overfishing | 20:00 min | 2023

Captain Peter Hammarstedt and his team from Sea Shepherd Global set off for the Antarctic to draw attention to the massive overfishing of krill. The crustaceans, which are only a few centimetres in size, are the main food source for whales, penguins, seals and seabirds. They also absorb huge amounts of carbon dioxide through their faeces.

  • Directing: Robbie Newby

  • Production: bigSMALL TV, Sea Shepherd Global

#5 HAVANA LIBRE

Surfing | 37:00 min | 2021 | USA, Cuba

Anyone surfing in Cuba must always keep an eye on the beach as well as the waves. Because surfing is illegal in Cuba. A normal routine for surfers like Frank and Yaya. Surf culture here only takes place behind closed doors, official competitions are impossible. In Cuba of all places, where sport and especially Olympic disciplines are highly valued, surfing is not recognised as a sport by the state.

  • Directing: Corey McLean

  • Production: USA, Cuba, Makewild Films