CCCL co-hosted a film screening and talk session featuring filmmakers as part of Thailand Ocean Week 2025

On June 11, 2025, from 16:30 to 18:00, CCCL curated the Ocean Shorts film screening as part of the first Thailand Ocean Week 2025 at the auditorium of the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre. The program featured six short films exploring the themes of the ocean and climate change. The event was hosted by the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources, in collaboration with the 30x30 Thailand Coalition, the French Development Agency (AFD), and other partners.

“At first, we saw news about coral bleaching for a while and thought it was a topic worth telling. So we talked and agreed to create a cartoon together. Animation can reach children and people of all ages, so if we want to instill a sense of care for the ocean in people, starting with young children could be a great way to do it.” - Thanaphat Puangsuwan (Director of Ultramarine)

Following the screening, filmmakers and producers from Panare, Ship on the Shore, Red Ocean, and Ultramarineparticipated in a short panel discussion. They shared their inspirations, production challenges, and climate concerns, while also introducing upcoming projects aimed at raising public awareness of climate change.

"I think the first thing we can do is seek knowledge. Even though there may be limited information on the issue we're interested in, there are still some research studies available, both locally and internationally. Once we understand more about the topic, we can then look into which organizations are actively working on it. This could be a step we take if we want to help raise awareness about environmental issues.” - Napat Wesshasartar (Director of Panare, Ship on the Shore)

The Ocean Shorts program featured these following films:

1. Stars on the sea - Jang Seung-wook

   The animation tells a story about a mother and her children struggling to survive after melting ice floods their last remaining home.

2. Panare, Ship on the Shore - Napat Wesshasartar

   A documentary follows a fishing community in Pattani who are not giving up and trying to survive by adapting methods they have used to save the local fisheries for a long time. 

3. Chronicle of Blue - Issaree Arunprasert

   This documentary shows the rapid onset of climate change through the life of the soldier crab -- an ocean creature that builds a small hole near beaches as a home, safe zone, and food store. Since the rapid effects of climate change, the number of soldier crabs seems to be decreasing, just as the ocean faces more coral reef bleaching.

4. Old Times - Chaela Tordillo

   The story follows a retired fisherman and his grandchild return to their drowning hometown, which is affected by the increasing sea level and land subsidence. The film captures the quiet sorrow of losing good memories, a once-beloved home, and the familiar faces of a community that has since moved away.

5. Red Ocean - Jessada Khimsook

   A documentary spotlighting the rare life-saving work of Thailand’s marine vets, who race to rescue endangered sea creatures caused by climate change and human activity. Their efforts reveal the critical importance of ocean conservation and biodiversity protection.

6. Ultramarine - Thanaphat Puangsuwan

   An animation about the story of a small fish surviving in the coral-bleaching ocean, which is caused by the ocean warming and the weakening of their ocean ecology.

Thailand Ocean Week (June 8-13, 2025) is a nationwide event showcasing Thailand's commitment to ocean conservation, coinciding with the UN Ocean Conference. It features diverse activities across Bangkok and coastal cities. Highlights include island clean-ups, a sustainable tourism symposium in Koh Chang, a press launch and ocean talks, an Ocean Conservation fundraising party, discussions on sustainable tourism and island issues, and the "Ocean-Climate-Biodiversity Forum" The event also features an audio/visual performance by NOTEP & Cyrus James Khan, an art exhibition, and an ocean-themed dramatization by My Home Paws, among others.