SAN DIEGO — An event highlighting over 30 films, with surf-legend Rob Machado in attendance, all showcasing the beauty of our ocean's waters and the species we need to conserve.
"Shorts, features, documentaries, animations and tonight is really the culmination of us giving back and acknowledging those filmmakers who rose to the time to fight for the environment," said Greg Reitman, Executive Director of the Blue Water Film Festival.
Filmmakers across the globe made it to Downtown San Diego to celebrate their recent projects - some receiving awards for their storytelling and research in marine biology.
“I’m also here representing my book which is called blue mind, it's the mental health and emotional health benefits of being in or near the water," said Dr. Wallace Nicholas, author of 'Blue Mind."
Rob Machado also took home an award for his contributions to keeping San Diego beaches clean.
Aside from being a recognizable surfer, Machado is also a well-known environmentalist pushing for clean drinking water for youth.
"To be included in that as kind of from the surf world. Kind of a neat connection. I’ve always been an advocate for protecting our oceans and really keeping them clean and doing my best to help out. If everyone does a little bit and does their part we can succeed," said Machado.
The film "Patrick and the Whale," received three awards.
It’s a documentary telling the life of the underwater world of sperm whales and their threatened status.
"With Wolfgang Knopfler who is also here. And one of the better films that I really love is the film called Watermen which was made and produced in Hawaii which is the lineage and history of Hawaiian surf culture," said Greg Reitman, Executive Director of the Blue Water Film Festival.
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