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Following the success of the 2007 festival which received participation from a global audience; novice and professional photographers; budding child artists, environmentalists and even President Gloria Arroyo of the Republic of the Philippines, OceanNEnvironment Australia is pleased to announce its 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 Festival has seen the
greatest increase in competitors since its inception in 2002 with over 5500
entries from 38 countries. The 2008 festival is destined to be bigger and
bolder than ever before. The main venue for the 3 days festival, from 13 to 15
June will be the brand new Manila Ocean Park - the
Philippines’ first state-of-the-art Oceanarium with open water marine habitats,
boutique malls and restaurants.
The primary goal of the CTS festival remains unchanged - to have the world dedicate a day to remember and celebrate the sea, like a Christmas or a New Year’s 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 a dominant platform to promote conservation through education and entertainment to create a 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 have imagery presentations and seminars by a panel of world renowned image makers and marine scientists such Peter Scoone, cinematographer of the BBC Blue Planet series, Leandro Blanco, 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, the founder of the World Underwater Picture Festival who will officiate the festival. One of the principal highlights is the exhibition of 15 recent award winning features at the World Festival of Underwater Pictures in Antines along with a photo exhibition of benchmarked underwater images by some of the world's best underwater photographers including all the prints in the competition.
CALL FOR ENTRIES
If you are shooting underwater then you must compete in ‘Celebrate the Sea Festival International Imagery Competition – the most prestigious and richest underwater imagery competition in the Asia Pacific. Until 10 May 2008, we invite you to take part in this prominent event by entering the numerous international competitions. There is over $50 000 in cash and holiday prizes; Awards up for grab are OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT: MERIT OF EXCELLENCE: HONOR OF DISTINCTION: High Commendation for each category plus the most coveted title for 2008 will be the ‘President Gloria Arroyo Grand Award of Highest Achievement 2008’ which includes the US$2000 cash prize.
Photographers and films makers send in your entries by 10 May 2008 and be part of Asia Pacific's most prestigious international underwater imagery competition, where the premier prize is the conferred title of the ‘President Grand Award of Highest Achievement 2008’ that comes US$2000 as prize money.
It gets even better if you are visiting the Philippines any time from 1 February to 10 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 the Celebrate the Sea Festival 2008, you will be diving in some of the most beautiful and enchanting reefs in the world.
Your participation will qualify you to win 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 as well as for the WOW imagery competitors. The cash and holiday prizes for the WOW Imagery competition are sponsored by the Manila Ocean Park and supporting sponsors.
All winners, qualify as contenders for the ‘President Arroyo Award for Highest Achievement 2008 that comes with the cash prize of USD2000* ROLEX is the main sponsor; with the Philippines Airlines as the official airline for the Festival. For more information: 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 15 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 wish to retain Celebrate the Sea
in Manila for 3 years, making the city the
permanent home of the festival. 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 inform, and more importantly, to motivate and inspire people to take action in preserving our natural environment. The ‘Oscars’ for 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’s Arroyo Award for Highest Achievement’ 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, with its wide scope which include the macro, wide angle and black and white photographs, digital images, short video and feature documentary films and books categories, it lends a truly international flair to this festival. In 2007, 5500 entries were received from 38 countries.
WOW Philippines Imagery competition
All that is required to enter this prestigious competition is for the participant to stay/dive with one of the participating resorts/dive operators in the Philippines anytime from 1 March 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 screened through the 3-day weekend festival.
Seminars and Preserving Our Seas Forum
The Celebrate the Sea Festival also includes a 'seminars' component. Past presenters include international underwater luminaries like 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.
Ambassador for Sharks 2009
The conferring of the Ambassador for Sharks 2009 ceremony will be held at the gala dinner on 14 Jun where the Amabassador for Sharks 2008 will hand over the Ambassadorship to the winner of the Children’s Art Competition
For more information contact: cts@oneocean.com
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