Win tickets to the Brussels leg of the International Ocean Film Tour in Belgium, 28 March to 5 April

Water has long fascinated mankind and it provides the perfect backdrop for the series of adventures and water sport feats in the 2025 International Ocean Film Tour.

The tour travels to the Belgian cities of Ghent, Brussels, Antwerp and Bruges between 28 March and 5 April.

Whether for fun or competition, adventure or scientific research, the ocean is a place where extraordinary connections emerge—between humans and even between humans and animals.

The programme includes five short films, each exploring a different facet of oceans around the world, and featuring a remarkable cast of characters who are drawn to their watery expanses.

Nika by Jose Hernandez & Felipe Ravina (Sp 2024)

On a scouting mission off the coast of Tenerife, marine scientist Felipe Ravina has an unusual encounter with a curious and unusually trusting pilot whale named Nika. For Felipe, the experience is nothing short of fascinating. Pilot whales are intelligent creatures but are typically shy around humans, leaving the environmentalists puzzled by Nika's unexpected interest in Felipe. Nonetheless, this extraordinary meeting reinforces their conviction to protect her habitat—currently under threat from mass tourism and pollution—at all costs.

7 Beats per Minute by Yuki Kang (Can 2024)

Jessea Lu can stay underwater for eight minutes—without taking a single breath. This extraordinary ability has vaulted her onto the main stage of freediving: the Vertical Blue Competition in the Bahamas, where the crème de la crème of freediving gathers annually. Here, Dean’s Blue Hole, plunging 200 meters deep, offers exceptional conditions for record-breaking performances. But at these depths, the line between life and death is thin, and the competition becomes the greatest stress test of her life.

KELP! by Caylon La Mantia & Anna Roberts (UK 2022)

In Search of the Green Gold of the Seas: Aboard the Gleaner, filmmaker Caylon La Mantia embarks on a quest to discover the hidden treasure of Britain's coastline: KELP! Her mission is to explore the world of this remarkable marine algae. Among the rugged cliffs of the British coast, the team encounters inspiring visionaries and uncovers a surprising truth: in the fight against climate change, kelp might just be our greatest ally.

Trilogy: New Wave by Andrew Mackenzie (US 2024)

Three friends, one season and the search for the perfect break: Ethan Ewing, Griffin Colapinto and Seth Moniz are among the world's best surfers. The three exceptional talents have been meeting up at competitions since their youth, and now they are setting off on a surf trip together. We visit a series of their dream destinations to understand how they maintain their friendship and love of surfing despite the competition and increasing pressure to perform.

Row of Life by Soraya Simi (US 2024)

Angela Madsen, a former Paralympic athlete, dreams of rowing solo from California to Hawaii. Having successfully completed several ocean crossings with a team, she is now determined to tackle this challenge on her own. For Angela, rowing solo is the natural progression of her previous achievements, during which she continually pushed her physical and mental limits. Here we get to know an extraordinary woman who faced countless setbacks throughout her life but never lost her love for life or her sense of humour.

28 March 19.00 Ghent Viernulvier
30 March 15.00 & 19.00 Brussels Espace Lumen
1 April 19.30 Antwerp Zuidperhous
5 April 19.30 Bruges Het Entrepot

Photos: (main image) Nika ©Minsk Kinemaproducciones, Felipe Ravina Zugeschnitten; 7 Beats per Minute image from the film courtesy of Intuitive pictures and the national film board of Canada; Row of Life by Soraya Simi

Win! A pair of tickets to the screening in Brussels on 30 March at 19.00. Simply fill in your details below. We'll email you on Saturday (22 February) if you've won.