A short film on local leafy sea dragons is among three Australian features on show in the 13th annual Ocean Film Festival World Tour.

The Tour is set to make a splash across Australia from March, returning with a line-up of films that celebrate the ocean from every angle.

From high-stakes adventure and record-breaking journeys to intimate portraits of marine life and environmental restoration, the 2026 program is packed with breathtaking cinematography, inspiring characters and a deep respect for the ocean and the communities shaped by it.

The local film is A Dragon’s Dance, an underwater poetic tribute to the leafy sea dragon and the extraordinary biodiversity of Australia’s Great Southern Reef.

Jemima Robinson, Founder and CEO of the Ocean Film Festival World Tour, says the 2026 season continues the festival’s mission to share ocean stories that move, inspire and connect audiences.

“As we head into our 13th year, the Ocean Film Festival World Tour remains a celebration of the ocean in all its beauty, power and vulnerability,” she says.

“Each film in the 2026 program offers something special — whether it’s extraordinary adventure, breathtaking marine life, the people dedicating their lives to protecting the sea or a call to action from our audience.”

The 2026 festival program showcases a diverse mix of films that span science, conservation, surf culture and wildlife wonder.  

The other Australian films are The Kelp Collector, a short following retired scientist Sandy Webb as she documents and preserves the algae species of Port Phillip Bay; and The Raftsmen, an epic story of courage and endurance following 12 unlikely adventurers from seven different countries.

The international films are: Stone Biter: Saving The Arctic Sea Forests, from Norway; Antarctica: Domain One, from Argentina, narrated by surfing icon Kelly Slater; and Brazil’s TAINÁ, a portrait of professional surfer Tainá Hinckel.

Jemima Robinson says what makes the Ocean Film Festival World Tour so special is the way it brings people together through a shared love of the sea.

“It’s always incredible to see audiences come out year after year — not just to watch beautiful films, but to feel part of something bigger,” she says.

“The ocean connects all of us, and this event is a chance to celebrate that connection on the big screen.”

The family-friendly Ocean Film Festival World Tour 2026 kicks off across Australia in March.

South Australian screening will be at The Capri Theatre, in Goodwood, on Saturday 14 March and Victa Cinema, in Victor Harbor, on Saturday 27 June. Tickets are available online.