Ocean Film Festival World Tour

Had the event been titled the Surfing Film Festival World Tour, I doubt I would have left disappointed. But oh ye of slightly misleading publicity campaigns, I had expectations! I wanted to immerse myself in a triumphant, nature-centric journey beneath the ocean where the bounty of the seascape did the talking. I wanted David Attenborough-esque dulcet tones and reverent, respectful distance from the subject matter. But these were films about people, where the ocean provided the backdrop – sometimes the playground – and didn’t take centre stage. Yes, a few pertinent messages about environmentalism, landscape preservation and sustainable fishing featured throughout… and the sound was fantastic. But I couldn’t shift the feeling that I’d signed up for a nature documentary extravaganza and had wandered into a surf meet, instead.

Concert Hall, Brighton Dome, 14 September 2015

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