A new dedicated environmental film festival is set to debut in Margaret River next year led by two internationally award-winning filmmakers.

Co-directed by Richard Todd and Jane Hammond, the Margaret River Environmental Film Festival is set to debut in June 2027 at Nala Bardip Mia - The Margaret River HEART.

Hammond said the new festival was an exciting and fun opportunity she hoped would attract local and international films.

“We’ve both been in so many film festivals over the years and seen the best and the worst, and how they can really help push films and help develop social impact campaigns,” she said.

Hammond said the pair decided to create the festival as a way to give back to Margaret River’s active arts and environmental communities.

Set to showcase a curated selection of environmental and ocean films from around the world, the festival program will include workshops, community events and collaborative sessions aimed at connecting filmmakers, audiences and environmental groups.

Hammond said the festival would explore strengthening the impact of storytelling within the environmental space during the climate crisis.

“Even in our own local community, we’re seeing climate denialism and a backlash against renewable energy,” she said.

“We need to sort of ramp up environmental awareness and climate change literacy.

“It’s not something we can just forget about. It’s not something that’s inconvenient.

“It’s something that we have to face, and the quicker we do something real about it, in terms of the climate crisis, the less impact we’re going to suffer.”

Workshops will also aim to help participants learn how to use film and digital platforms to drive social and environmental change through media such as Instagram and Youtube.

“Everybody’s got in their pocket the potential to be a filmmaker,” Hammond said.

“How do we upskill people to help them get the most out of their filmmaking, the most out of the issues that they want to talk about.

“Find their voice for the environment.”

Hammond said there was more information still to come, including a callout for volunteers and sponsors closer to the event.