Spend this weekend watching a pod of ocean films at the fourth annual Big Blue Film Festival at Hatfield Marine Science Center.
“The Big Blue Film Fest is a celebration of the ocean and research through film and through science communication, and it is hosted at Hatfield Marine Science Center, the research hub for Oregon State University,” said MariAnna Hinojosa, the director of Big Blue Film Festival.
The non-profit event will present 37 films in all, making this the largest Big Blue Film Festival to date, according to MariAnna. They will be shown on two consecutive days.
From 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday in the Gladys Valley Marine Studies Building at HMSC, a reception will be held. This will feature the winning films from the event’s award categories and be catered by Clearwater, a local Newport restaurant.
Film blocks will be shown throughout Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Newport Performing Arts Center, located two miles north of Hatfield, and the GVMSB. Most film blocks are two hours long with a one-hour gap in between.
Tickets can be purchased through the Oregon Coast Council for the Arts on their website.
Individual film blocks can be booked for $15, or $12 for visiting students. Reception night passes are $40 and all-access tickets are $70.
A complete film schedule with accompanying descriptions and trailers can be found on HMSC’s website. The films are labeled if they contain less appropriate content.
“Our festival’s goal is to showcase ocean-themed films at the confluence of marine sciences, humanities and the arts,” says HMSC’s Big Blue Film Fest overview. “We also aim to engage the community and raise awareness about marine issues and how we might solve them.”
After the films, audiences will be able to engage in a Q&A panel with the creators behind the films, according to MariAnna.
“So not only is it an opportunity to sit and watch exclusive marine-related documentaries and stories,” said MariAnna, “it’s also an opportunity to engage with scientists, filmmakers, and artists.”
Free parking is available for each venue in their respective lots. The Coast to Valley Express bus also drops off at the Hatfield campus, with more information available on their website.