The 12th edition of Sublimage festival, dedicated to the marine world, opened on 23 August. On the program: photo and video competition, exhibitions, screenings and conferences in order to “raise awareness of the wonders of our ocean”, as recalled by Joseph Manauté, member of the government of New Caledonia, partner of the event.
The works presented were evaluated by the jury according to criteria of artistic and technical qualities. The ranking awards the best film prizes in the following categories: Slide Show, Clip and Short Film. On the photo side, 5 categories have been proposed: Wide Angle, Macro, Freshwater, Black and White and Thematic series.
About the Festival.
Having become an unmissable event over the years, the international underwater image festival, called “Sublimage”, took up residence until August 29 in Nouméa. Two venues for an event: the town hall’s hall of honor for exhibitions and conferences, and the Rex cinema room for documentary film screenings. A rich program that gives pride of place to the educational component with many sessions reserved for schoolchildren. About 500 students from 15 establishments, will benefit from scientific and environmental workshops run by associations. Objective: to sensitize the young public to the fragility of the marine ecosystem and its marvelous beauty, a subject so important for these small inhabitants of the Pacific.
Government support.
“The Coral Sea Natural Park, created in April 2014, is the second largest marine protected area in the world, after that of the Hawaiian Islands. Its ecosystem shelters treasures of biodiversity and coral reefs in an almost virgin state. It is a great responsibility that New Caledonia has, both for its population and internationally, to preserve this natural heritage , recalled Joseph Manauté, member of the government responsible for the management and enhancement of the Park which covers the entire Caledonian exclusive economic zone.It was therefore natural for the government to support Sublimage so that the festival could gain momentum and thus offer regional and international influence to New Caledonia, in particular through the enhancement of the Coral Sea Natural Park ”.
Minifestivals across Caledonia.
Thanks to specific government assistance, the Sublimage association, which has been supporting the festival since 2009, was also able to launch a tour in the Bush for the first time which began on April 12 in Boulouparis. “This project is a long story, well I hope! , announced Sylvain Charrière, the president of the association. This is the spirit of the festival that we bring to the bush with free screenings, exhibitions and activities for schoolchildren for three days to a week, to make discover throughout the territory what we have the chance. to live in Nouméa ”. After Thio and Bourail, other dates are planned until the end of the year. In the meantime, the festival was in full swing in the capital with a delicate mission for the jury, chaired by underwater photographer Marie-Christine Cacot: to decide between the 54 or so photos selected, out of 266 received from New Caledonia and elsewhere.
Congratulations to All!!
