Bubble Buddies Bay SplashFest! (1)

Festival start: 05 June 2026      Festival end: 07 June 2026

SplashFest! is a multi-country festival celebrating creative storytelling about our oceans, lakes, rivers, and the wider world of water. From 5th to 8th June 2026, culminating on World Ocean Day, selected short films, illustrated tales, comics, and visual artworks will be showcased across Greece, Italy, the UK, and Germany.

SplashFest! is created and run by an international collective of creative professionals, filmmakers, writers, and educators united by one clear mission: to inspire children and families to care about our waters through powerful storytelling that sparks curiosity, imagination, and genuine environmental awareness.

We invite filmmakers, screenwriters, animators, illustrators, and visual artists to submit work that can captivate young audiences and open new ways of thinking about our blue planet. Whether your story is scientific, myth-inspired, humorous, adventurous, or wildly imaginative, SplashFest! is built for creators who want their ideas to ripple far beyond the screen or page.

Each festival location brings its own distinct character: Greek coastal culture and splendour, Italian lakeside creativity and energy, British storytelling charm and diversity, and Germany’s strong tradition of environmental education. Together, these parallel events form a single international platform for artists and storytellers who believe that water connects us all.

We celebrate storytelling with heart, courage, humour, and a strong message about caring for our planet. All works must be suitable for children and family audiences (ages 3+).


The Ripple Reel Awards (Short Films)

- Ripple Award for Best Film (Jury Prize) - Jury to be confirmed

- Children’s Choice Award is voted for by our young audience members during the festival.



The Ocean Scroll Award (Short Scripts, Stories & Comics)

- Best Short Script

- Best Short Story/Fiction

- Best Comic/Visual Narrative

- Best Educational Story for Kids


Winners will:

- Be published in an individual eBook

- May also be printed as a limited-edition collection after the festival.

- Receive a digital certificate.

- Be featured on the Bubble Buddies Bay website

- Have the possibility to take part in online readings or interviews

1) Submissions are open worldwide to individuals, organisations and schools that align with the festival’s ocean & environmental mission.

2) The work must be your original creation. You confirm you hold all necessary rights (music, images, footage, text) or that any third-party material is properly cleared/licenced.

3) Each applicant may submit up to three works per category, unless otherwise stated.

4) Works may be in any language, but must be suitable for a family audience (ages 3+). If not in English, an English translation of dialogues (subtitles file) and text must be provided.

5) Incomplete submissions or files not meeting technical or eligibility requirements may be rejected without review.

6) By submitting, you grant the festival the right to use excerpts, images, summaries for non-commercial promotional and educational purposes. You retain full copyright of your work.

7) The organisers’ decisions on selection are final.

8) Selected participants will be contacted; creators are welcomed to attend, but travel/attendance costs are on the creator.

9) If physical artwork needs shipping (in the visual section), shipping & insurance costs are the artist’s responsibility; the festival cannot accept liability for loss/damage in transit.

10) All submitted works must align with SplashFest!’s values of environmental responsibility, respect for nature, and positive representation of our world. Entries that actively promote misinformation, environmental harm, discrimination, or messages contradictory to sustainability, conservation, or child-appropriate ethics may be declined at the festival’s discretion.

Full guidelines here: https://www.bubblebuddiesbay.com/splashfest/splashfest-2026#festival-rules