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Following the success of the 2007 festival which received
participation from a global audience of novice and professional
competitors, children and even President Gloria Arroyo of the
Republic of the Philippines, OceanNEnvironment Australia is
pleased to announce in collaboration with the
Department of Tourism (DOT) and
the
Philippines
Commission on Sports Scuba Diving (PCSSD),
to present the 7th
‘Celebrate
the Sea Marine Imagery Festival Philippines 2008’.
Celebrate the Sea has seen the greatest increase in competitors
since inception in 2002 with over 5500 entries from 38
countries. The 2008 festival is destined to be bigger and much
bolder than ever before – the main venue for the 3 days festival
from 13 to 15 June is confirmed to be stage at the brand new
Manila Ocean Park,
the
Philippines’ first state-of-the-art Oceanarium comprising of
open water marine habitat, boutique mall, and restaurants.
The
primary objective of the CTS festival remains; to have the world
dedicates a day to remember and celebrate the sea, like a
Christmas or a New Years day. If and when it is achieved, then
most certainly the current dreadful state of the sea will have
hope redeemed for the coming generations of humanity. For now,
Celebrate the Sea is the biggest underwater pictures festival
outside of Europe where the ‘World Festival of Underwater
Pictures’ (Festival Mondial de l'Image Sous Marine) is staged annually in
Antibes, France, now in its 35th year. Celebrate the
Sea festival is seen as the dominant platform to promote
conservation providing education and entertainment to create
greater awareness of our ocean environment. The world’s best
marine images and films have a powerful effect on both the
diving and non-diving community.
The
2008 festival will comprise of imagery presentations and
seminars by a panel of world renowned image makers and marine
scientists such
5 Emmies Winner Stan
Waterman, Leandro Blanco,
Peter Scoone, cinematographer of the BBC Blue
Planet series, Dr Phil Nyutten, David Doubilet, Jennifer Hayes
and Emory Kristof of National Geographic, Dr Carden Wallace,
coral scientist, Fred Buyle – four times world free diving
champion, Scott Tuason, author and underwater photographer and
Daniel Mercier – founder World Underwater Picture Festival will
be on site to officiate the festival.
One of
the principal highlights is the International Underwater film
festival; 15 recent award winning features from the World
Festival of Underwater Pictures, Antibes will be presented at
Celebrate the Sea. There will also be a photo exhibition of
benchmarked underwater images by some of the world's best
underwater photographers plus all the prints in the competition.
Photographers and films makers, send in your entries now to
compete in Asia Pacific's most prestigious international
underwater imagery competition where the premier prize is the
conferred title of
‘President,
Grand Award of Highest Achievement 2008’ with US$2000 as prize
money. (www.CelebratetheSea.com)
It gets
even better if you are visiting the Philippines any time from 1
March to 30 May; stay and dive with one of the participating
resorts / operators and you will be eligible to enter your video
or pictures in the WOW Philippines Imagery competition. Held in
conjunction with Celebrate the Sea Festival 2007, Philippines,
you will be diving in some of the most beautiful and enchanting
reefs in the world.
You
will be competing for one of these prestigious titles:
The WOW
Award – for the most outstanding image or video story
The Hi
Five Award – for the highest scoring or the most well balanced
portfolio
The
Quick Draw Award – for the best action shot or video story
Yes,
there will be medals, cash, equipment and holiday package prizes
for all categories and as well as for the WOW imagery
competitors. The cash and holiday prizes for the WOW Imagery
competition is sponsored the Manila Ocean Park and supporting
sponsors.
All
winners, qualifies as a contender for the
‘President
Grand Award of Highest Achievement 2008 with cash prize of
USD2000*
ROLEX
is the main sponsor, supporting the hosting of Rolex’s
ambassador. Philippines Airlines, the official airline for
festival. For more info: email
cts@oneocean.com;
www.celebratethesea.com
About
Celebrate the Sea
Statistically, Celebrate the Sea’s Marine Imagery Festival is
the biggest imaging event of the sea staged in the Asia Pacific.
Since 2002 the annual festival previously held in Singapore and
Malaysia has attracted entries from over 38 countries. The 2008
festival is scheduled from 13 to June in Manila
Held in
association with the World Festival of Underwater Pictures,
Antibes – also known as the ‘Cannes of Underwater Films
festival’, the presenters proposed to retain Celebrate the
Sea to Manila in 2008 with the intention of making the city
the permanent home of the festival for three years. This will
invariably position Manila as the capital of underwater imagery
in the Asia Pacific.
Now in its seventh year, Celebrate the Sea
Festival promotes the beauty of our oceans to entertain and
inspire, and more importantly, to motivate and inspire people to
take action in preserving our natural environment. The ‘Oscars’
of underwater imagery is the highlight of the Celebrate the Sea
Festival where the winners of the CTS International Underwater
Imagery Competition and the Philippines Shoot Out competition
will be revealed at a gala award ceremony on 14 June 2008. Along
with medals, cash and holiday package prizes, the most coveted
title for 2008 will be the ‘President
Grand Award of Highest Achievement 2007’ which includes the
US$2000 cash prize.
About the Principal Highlights
International Underwater Imagery
Competitions
The
centrepiece of the Celebrate the Sea Festival has always been
its international imagery competitions and with $35,000 worth of
prizes up for grabs it is the most prestigious underwater
imaging competition in the Asia Pacific. Open to anyone in the
world, the macro, wide angle and black and white photographs,
digital images, short video and feature documentary films, and
books, lend truly international flair to this festival. In 2007,
the 5500 entries were received from 38 countries.
WOW Philippines Imagery competition
All that
is required to enter this prestigious competition, competitors
is required to stay/dive with one of the participating
resorts/dive operators in the Philippines anytime from 1
February to 10 May 2008. Competitors must submit their entries
by 15 May. The results will be announced during the awards
ceremony along with the results of the international
competition.
International Underwater Film Festival
15 award
winning documentary features from the World Underwater Pictures
Festival Antibes will be specially brought in for screening
through the 3-day weekend festival. Selected entries from the
films in competition will also be shown.
Seminars
and Preserving Our Seas Forum
The
Celebrate the Sea Festival also includes a 'seminars' component.
Past presenters include international underwater luminaries Dr
Sylvia Earle, Stan Waterman, David Doubilet, Dr Phil Nyutten,
Neville Coleman, Ron & Valerie Taylor, Emory Kristoff and also
principal scientists like Dr Mark Erhmann, Dr Carden Wallace
etc. David Doubilet from the National Geographic is confirmed
for Philippines while the organiser is actively drawing some of
the most celebrated underwater image makers and marine
scientists as panellists for the event. The conference runs
concurrently with the film festival and the local school and
university students will be invited to attend this conference at
no charge.
Photographic Galleries:
The
finalists for the underwater photography and children's painting
competition will be prominently displayed during the three-day
event.
For more information contact:
cts@oneocean.com
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inappropriate to call this planet 'Earth', when it is clearly 'Ocean'.
Arthur C. Clark
