SplashFest! 2026 – A Celebration of Water Stories Across Four Countries 🌊

SplashFest! is a multi-country festival dedicated to creative storytelling about our oceans, lakes, rivers, and the wider world of water. From 5th to 8th June 2026 — culminating on World Ocean Day — selected short films, illustrated tales, comics, and visual artworks were showcased in Greece, Italy, the UK, and Germany. The festival was recognized by the UNESCO Ocean Decade and received the patronage of Save the Children. We selected 20 films from all over the world.

SplashFest! is created and run by an international collective of creative professionals, filmmakers, writers, and educators who share one clear mission: to inspire children and families to care about our oceans through powerful storytelling that sparks curiosity, imagination, and real environmental awareness.

What We Achieved in 2026 🎉
The first edition of SplashFest! was a wonderful success!
It took place at the same time in 6 different locations in 4 different countries,.
We had:
- Great attendance across all six locations
- Children watching films, reading stories, and learning about the ocean together
- Engaged families discovering marine biology, ocean conservation, and the beauty of water ecosystems
- Strong community connections between Greece, Italy, the UK, and Germany
- A plastic-free, sustainable festival that modeled environmental responsibility
- Most importantly, children experienced the joy of storytelling while learning to care for our blue planet.

Ripple Reel – The Film Festival Within the Festival 🏆
We launched the very first edition of Ripple Reel, celebrating films and stories for young audiences about ocean conservation and planet care. Here are our winners:

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Audience Award – Il pesciolino rosso (Goldfish) by Gisella Gobbi
Awards for its simplicity, warmth, and the way it speaks directly to children in a language they recognise as their own — honest, playful, and full of heart.

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Best Short – I love you, from the sea to the sky by Fundación Por el Mar
Awarded for its gentle storytelling and beautiful clarity, which turn big environmental ideas into a magical and deeply connected journey.

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Young Eco Vision Award – Bouteille à la mer by Pianeta Mare Film Lab
Awarded for its powerful simplicity and for showing how one small action can travel far beyond its starting point, with a strong and timely ecological message.

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Honourable Mention – Iridescence by Adrien Lhoste
Awarded for its imagination, originality, and surreal visual journey, which make a precious environmental idea feel playful and unforgettable.

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Ocean Scroll Award: Best Short Script – The Adventures of Willow & Oliver:
*Awarded for its humour, heart, and lively energy, as well as for bringing an environmental message to life through engaging characters and a spirited adventure.

Awards & Prizes

We celebrate storytelling with heart, courage, humour, and a strong message about caring for our planet. All works must be suitable for children and family audiences (ages 3+).

The Ripple Reel Awards (Short Films)
The Ocean Scroll Award (Short Scripts, Stories & Comics)
The Coral Brush Award (Visual Art)
The Blue Voice - Young Eco Vision Award

The festival submission will open on the 1st of November and we will update the page with the new programme.

Rules & Terms

1) Submissions are open worldwide to individuals, organisations and schools that align with the festival’s ocean & environmental mission.
2) The work must be your original creation. You confirm you hold all necessary rights (music, images, footage, text) or that any third-party material is properly cleared/licenced.
3) Each applicant may submit up to three works per category, unless otherwise stated.
4) Works may be in any language, but must be suitable for a family audience (ages 3+). If not in English, an English translation of dialogues (subtitles file) and text must be provided.
5) Incomplete submissions or files not meeting technical or eligibility requirements may be rejected without review.
6) By submitting, you grant the festival the right to use excerpts, images, summaries for non-commercial promotional and educational purposes. You retain full copyright of your work.
7) The organisers’ decisions on selection are final.
8) Selected participants will be contacted; creators are welcomed to attend, but travel/attendance costs are on the creator.
9) All submitted works must align with SplashFest!’s values of environmental responsibility, respect for nature, and positive representation of our world. Entries that actively promote misinformation, environmental harm, discrimination, or messages contradictory to sustainability, conservation, or child-appropriate ethics may be declined at the festival’s discretion.
Full guidelines on our website.
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  • Adrien Lhoste

    I am very happy that my short film Iridescence was screened at the festival! Kudos on this initiative. Championing water-related projects is a crucial issue today!

    June 2026
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  • Romina Celeste Miguez

    We are honored to have participated in this festival and to have won Best Short Film!

    We would love to get in touch in case you have any photos or footage from the events. We truly enjoyed being part of the festival and having our message reach the other side of the world.

    Please let us know if there is anything you need from us.

    June 2026
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  • Rain Story

    Bubble Buddies Bay SplashFest! is a phenomenal opportunity to be part of something much bigger. Created by an organization dedicated to teaching children the great importance of the world's oceans and waterways while promoting conservancy at every turn, this competition already has a powerful foundation grounded in the festival circuit. Thank you, Bubble Buddies Bay, for all that you do! :-)

    June 2026
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