CLASSROOM PROGRAM

Bringing the Festival to Bay Area Students

Announcing a brand new pilot program presented by the International Ocean Film Festival (IOFF) in partnership with the California Coastal Commission's Protect Our Coast and Oceans Fund.

Filmmaker in the Classroom is designed for school-aged kids to inspire the next generation of ocean conservationists.

Launched in 2017, this fun program reaches students at Bay Area middle school and high schools who are not able to travel to the festival by presenting films about the ocean right in their own schools.

Though they may live within an hour of the Pacific, many local students don't have first-hand experience with the ocean, and some have never even been to the coast.

How it Works

Five Bay Area schools (middle school and high school) will have the chance to not only watch exciting and educational IOFF films but also meet filmmakers and learn about the amazing world of film. 

The theme for the inaugural year of the program is Marine Debris: Let's Keep Trash Out of the Ocean. Filmmakers will be on-site at each school to connect with students and discuss the various ways they can be stewards of the ocean and answer their questions about filmmaking.

Participating teachers will receive educational materials that meet Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) to support them in introducing ocean-related topics and help ensure a lasting impact on students.

How to Apply

To apply for the inaugural Filmmaker in the Classroom program, email Melanie Sturm at melanie@oceanfilmfest.org.

IOFF Education Program

Learn more about the IOFF Free Education Program and reserve a spot for your students at the festival on March 8 or 9, 2018.

Thank You to Our Partner

Funding for the Filmmaker in the Classroom Program is made possible by the California Coastal Commission's Whale Tail License Plate Fund and the Protect Our Coast and Oceans Fund.