The Oceanic Global Short Film Festival — Los Angeles Premiere
You're invited to an evening of sensory exploration of cinema in celebration of Oceanic Global's Short Film Festival and the 2026 theme, Films That Awaken New Depths.
As dusk falls over Los Angeles, the room goes quiet — and the ocean begins to speak. Join Oceanic Global and Earth Calling for the West Coast premiere of the 2026 Oceanic Global Short Film Festival: an evening that moves between wonder and urgency, between distant shores and something felt close to home.
Four short films, selected by an international jury including Dr. Sylvia Earle, James Honeyborne, David Maisel, Xiye Bastida, and Dr. Cliff Kapono. From the ice of Greenland to the humpbacks of Tonga, from the Senegalese coastline to a reimagined journey of wild salmon — each film opens a different door to the sea, through environmental, cultural, and deeply human eyes.
But this is more than a screening. A live soundscape fills the space before a single frame rolls. Guest speakers carry the conversation beyond the credits. And the films themselves, spanning the categories of Human Connection, Living Systems, and Discovery, alongside the recipient of the Open Water Grand Jury Prize — are chosen precisely because they don't just show the ocean. They make you feel it.
Come ready to be moved, and to awaken new depths, not only of compassion and understanding for the ocean, but of your own capacity to protect it.
The programme is endorsed as an official activity of the UN Ocean Decade, and made possible by this year’s festival partners including 1 Hotels and Design Hotels.
What to expect:
Immersive soundscape
A 50-min curated short film program
Stories from filmmakers around the world
Fireside chat with David Maisel, founder of Marvel Studios and Mythos Studios
Community drinks + networking
Whether you’re a film lover, ocean advocate, or simply curious, this event invites you to experience the ocean through storytelling.