BLUE Ocean Film Festival (BLUE) has selected St. Petersburg, Florida, as the location for the next biennial festival to be held November 3 to 9, 2014.  The announcement was made on the same day that BLUE announced a strategic partnership with the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation and the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco, to host a BLUE Ocean Film Festival event every other year in Monaco, beginning in 2015.

“We chose St. Petersburg as a place to grow BLUE, for several reasons. The incredibly beautiful marina and downtown area will provide the intimate environment that has become a trademark for BLUE, with access to state-of-the-art facilities for showcasing our films and hosting signature events. Just as important is the enthusiasm of the local business community and the world-class institutional partnerships we have developed that will help us grow our education outreach programs. Of course, St. Petersburg’s location on the Gulf of Mexico, was a major factor in our decision,” explains Debbie Kinder, CEO and Executive Director of BLUE.

At the heart of BLUE Ocean Film Festival is an international film competition and festival that screens over 100 of the world’s ocean films in more than 20 award categories. A Conservation Summit and Film/Media Industry Conference held during the Festival draws leaders and luminaries from the marine conservation, film and art worlds. Film screenings and conservation events are open to the public, along with memorable social events that provide an intimate environment for networking with filmmakers and scientists.