The 2013 event took place from March 7–10, 2013, at Theater 39 on Pier 39 and featured a multimedia presentation by Jean-Michel Cousteau at the opening gala.
Celebrating its 10th edition in 2013, this is the first dedicated Ocean Film Festival in North America and the second in the world after the acclaimed Festival International du Film Maritime, exploration et l'environnement, in Toulon, France, founded in 1954.
The IOFF has become the premier venue for international marine filmmakers to screen their works to a growing North American audience and has inspired the creation of several other ocean film festivals in the US, including the Blue Ocean Film Festival.
Past award winners have included: Wildlife Film: Sex under the Sea (Belgium), Etienne Verhaegen; Giants of the Dee (Germany), Ralf Kiefner & Andrea Ramalho Adventure Film: Rescue Men: The Story of the Pea Island Surfmen (USA), Allan Smith; Come Hell or High Water (USA), Keith Malloy Animated Film: I’m Going to Bite Someone (USA), Steve Dildarian Coastal Culture Film: Papa Mau (USA), Na’alehu Anthony; The Giant and the Fisherman (Italy), Manfred Bortoli Environmental Film: Sanctuary in the Sea (USA), Robert Talbot; Plastic Paradise – The Great Pacific Garbage Patch (USA), Angela Sun Conservation Film: In the Wake of Giants (USA), Lou Douros; Saving the Ocean – The Sacred Islands (USA), John Angier Short Film: The Krill is Gone (USA), Jeffrey Bost & Matt Briggs; Sinistre – (Indonesia), Jose Lachat The International Ocean Film Festival creates and gives student and family programs to educate themselves about ocean conservation, inspire viewers to make their own films, and encourage advocacy for the protection of ocean ecosystems.
The family program, directed to a younger audience, was held over two days, from March 12–13, 2011, with discounted admission.