Oil exploration and extraction, and the negative impact these processed have on commercial fishing, are under the spotlight in the first edition of Scianema, a film festival on oceans and pollution starting on Thursday.
The event is a partnership between the University of the Algarve, the Portuguese Institute of Sport and Youth, the Film Society of Faro, the Portuguese Environment Agency, PALP and the Social Network.
Sixteen documentaries over five days, all with an ocean theme, with free entry, planned debates and other environmental education activities aim to raise public awareness of the need to protect the world's oceans.
The Association of Marine and Cooperation Sciences (Sciaena) which is organising the programme said that there are two premieres in the Algarve: the documentary ‘Sandgrains’ filmed in Cape Verde which looks into the commercial fishing industry, and ‘The Lubejob’ which deals with oil exploration.
Other themes covered are the Common Fisheries Policy, a documentary "The end of the line" which analyses the issue of marine animals in captivity, and "The Cove" which looks at marine pollution and the problem of plastic in the oceans.
The documentaries will be shown at various locations around Faro including the University of Algarve, the Portuguese Institute of Youth, the Primary School at Faro Beach, the Pinheiro e Rosa secondary school and the Faro Beach nautical Centre.
The organisers expect the themed sessions to include discussions after the screenings to encourage scientific debate on the marine world and to promoted discussion among researchers, students, filmmakers and other stakeholders.
In addition to the films and discussions, Sciaena, in partnership with the Portuguese Environment Agency, are promoting activities aimed at children and families to encourage them to take an active role in conserving the oceans, particularly with regard to marine debris.
According to Gonçalo Carvalho from Sciaena, the festival aims to "show a selection of documentaries dedicated to the oceans, in order to encourage, inspire, create awareness and offer free access to the public and to specialists in the field.”
The Portuguese Environment Agency could not help but be involved in this promotion despite the government policy of pushing ahead with oil and gas exploration licenses covering significant areas of Portugal’s immediate ocean territory.
The oil companies that own the controversial exploration licenses for onshore and offshore blocs have not announced any parallel pro-oil activity or engagement with the public despite their access to positive research about their activities and availability of funds.
The Gulbenkian Foundation's Oceans Initiative, despite its objectives being in line with those of the festival's promoters, appear not to be involved. This may be due to all profits from the oil company Partex funding this Lisbon based foundation, an area it refuses to clarify.
