Inhabit Hotels will present the Oceanic Global Short Film Festival at Inhabit Southwick Street on Thursday 8 October 2026 as part of the Design Hotels Screening Series, in collaboration with ocean non-profit Oceanic Global. The evening brings the year’s winning short films to an intimate audience of guests, followed by a panel discussion on our connection to the sea and why those stories matter.
Since its launch in 2020, the Oceanic Global Short Film Festival has grown into a global film festival reaching audiences across 11 countries. Its 2026 edition, “Films That Awaken New Depths,” features stories that deepen our understanding of the ocean and inspire audiences to move from awareness to action. The winning films were selected by a jury including the pioneering oceanographer Dr. Sylvia Earle, Emmy- and BAFTA-winning filmmaker James Honeyborne, Marvel Studios founding chairman David Maisel, professional surfer and scientist Dr. Cliff Kapono, and climate activist Xiye Bastida. In partnership with Design Hotels, the festival travels to member properties around the world, with Inhabit Southwick Street hosting the London screening.
Guests at Inhabit will see the festival’s four award-winning films. NIO KO BOKK (This Belongs to All of Us), by David Clancy, the Open Water Grand Jury Prize winner, follows two young men in Dakar who choose to build their futures around the sea rather than risk the dangerous crossings taken by many of their peers. Wild Summon, by Karni and Saul, winner of the Human Connection award, is a BAFTA-nominated, Oscar-shortlisted film that reimagines the journey of wild salmon in human form, narrated by the late Marianne Faithfull. Save the Fear for Later, by Alexander Benedik, the Discovery winner, dives with an Arctic freediver beneath the ice of Greenland. And ŌSENI, by Carter Kirilenko and Phoebe Montague Warr, the Living Systems winner, follows a Tongan voyager urging protection for the humpback whales that gather in his islands’ waters.
Following the screening, guests will be invited to a 30-minute panel discussion, “Awakening New Depths: Why is the Ocean Relevant to London?”, exploring how storytelling can shift perspectives and inspire action, with the full line-up to be announced.
The evening reflects Inhabit’s identity as a wellness- and sustainability-led hotel group that views hospitality as a platform for culture and connection. Part of the Montcalm Collection and a member of Design Hotels, Inhabit was the first hotel group in the UK to achieve B Corp™ certification, building its reputation on restorative urban spaces that bring guests and local communities together.
Yeotown, Inhabit’s plant-centric kitchen, will cater the evening with an ocean-inspired menu featuring seasonal canapés using coastal ingredients, vegetable-led dishes that put sea greens centre stage, and botanical drinks including Yeotown’s signature Blue Latté.
“At Inhabit, we believe in the power of stories to bring people together and change how we see the world,” says Nadira Lalji, founder of Inhabit Hotels. “Partnering with Oceanic Global and Design Hotels to bring these extraordinary films to London feels like a natural extension of everything we stand for: creating space for meaningful conversation, connection, and a deeper sense of our shared responsibility to the planet.”
“Bringing the festival to London lets these stories reach new audiences and spark the conversations that turn awareness into action connecting people to the ocean no matter how close they are to it geographically,” says Dawn Moore, Director of Partnership Marketing & Events at Oceanic Global.
Event Details
Oceanic Global Short Film Festival: Screening & Panel Discussion, in partnership with Design Hotels
Location: The Library, Inhabit Southwick Street, 61 Southwick Street, London, W2 2PP
Date & Time: Thursday 8 October 2026, 18:30 – 20:30
Format: Film screening, panel discussion and audience Q&A.
Booking: Reserve a free slot here. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/inhabit-x-oceanic-screening-tickets-2002114198463
