A family that has been at home on the sea for 25 years, three brothers who row non-stop across the Pacific and an unusual friendship with a manta ray. Plus a surf photographer looking for the perfect angle in Hawaii and a kite legend searching for the perfect wind in South Africa. The programme of this year's Ocean Film Tour takes viewers into the lives of people who dedicate their lives to their passion. The films show extremes, emotions and ambition. And always: the proximity to the sea and our environment.
Tickets and dates for the International Ocean Film Tour Vol. 12 are available here
From 24.02.2026, the International Ocean Film Tour programme will once again be touring over 300 cities in Europe, with stops in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and Slovenia. All films will be shown in their original version with subtitles in the local language. The film programme has a total length of around 130 minutes. Including the supporting programme and intermission, the event lasts around two and a half to three hours. At the end, the audience can vote for a favourite.
Film 1: Christa Funk: First In, Last Out
Film portrait: Christa Funk is the first in the water in the morning and the last to leave it in the evening. As one of the few professional surf photographers, she has made the legendary Pipeline in Hawaii - one of the most dangerous and iconic waves in the world - her workplace. Christa grew up in Colorado, where she first discovered her love of photography. It was only later that she combined this with her enthusiasm for the ocean and managed to find her own way into the predominantly male-dominated surfing scene. Today, she looks for the perfect angle for her pictures in the swell.
Film 2: The Last Dive
Terry Kennedy formed an extraordinary friendship over 40 years ago. Back then, the sea around the uninhabited volcanic island of San Benedicto was the ultimate paradise for him and his sailing friends. Around 600 kilometres off the Mexican Pacific coast, Terry was able to live out his desire for freedom, which had got him into trouble several times in the USA, far away from all conventions. Until he met Willy while diving - a giant manta ray with a wingspan of over six metres. His encounter with the gentle giant changed his life. Over the course of two decades, Terry and Willy developed an extraordinary friendship that turned the former outlaw into a committed animal and environmental conservationist. In "The Last Dive", Terry sets off for San Benedicto one last time at the age of over eighty. He hopes to see Willy one last time - the animal that showed him what really matters in life.
Film 3: A Different Beast
Lachlan, Ewan and Jamie Maclean have an ambitious goal: they want to row across the Pacific in record time - non-stop and unsupported. The fact that there are around 14,480 kilometres between Peru and Australia does not deter the three brothers. With unshakeable self-confidence, a healthy dose of humour and a bit of beginner's luck, they already crossed the Atlantic in 2020 and gained their first experience of ocean rowing. But the Pacific is bigger, lonelier and more dangerous. To overcome this sporting challenge, the three Scots train hard: on their boat, in the gym and on their farm in the Highlands. They have even pre-cooked 1,800 meals for their adventure. But they know: It's not just strength that counts on this adventure, but also brains. Because nobody knows what surprises await them on the high seas.
Film 4: Up The Coast
Kite legend Kevin Langeree and his crew have a mission: an unforgettable kite adventure along the wild coast of South Africa. Their dream: maximum airtime! To achieve this, they have to find the best wind. Even if the coast is moody at the beginning, the crew is determined. Because who knows, maybe the perfect conditions are waiting just over the next headland? In "Up the Coast", they take the audience with them on their adventurous road trip.
Film 5: Home is the Ocean - A Unique Global Expedition
The Schwörer family have found their home at sea - far away from their Swiss homeland and familiar comfort zones. Their journey began 25 years ago, when Dario and Sabine Schwörer set sail on an expedition sailboat to explore the most remote corners of the world and inspire the next generation with a passion for nature. Along the way, their six children were born - each in a different part of the world. In just 20 square metres, the eight Schwörers share adventures, everyday life and their lives together. For the documentary film "Home is the Ocean - A Unique Global Expedition" by Livia Vonaesch they were accompanied over the course of seven years. The Ocean Film Tour presents a 35-minute compilation. You learn how they repeatedly question conventional ideas about upbringing, education, home and security - until a storm hits the sailing boat and the family has to rethink their life decisions and their future.
Jill Grigoleit
Editor Travel
