Tania Douthwaite, is the Founder and Director of the
Fremantle Underwater Film Festival (FUFF).
As a marine scientist, master freedive instructor and creative OCEAN artist I've developed a broad and comprehensive background in marine science and creative communications that have been an invaluable compliment to my 20 years of experience working in ocean-related industries. My interests and expertise range from ocean science communication at state conferences to recreational fisheries management, community-scale marine citizen science research to being a program leader in the field of freediving safety and freediving for mental health.
In the underwater realm, I'm best known for my leadership role in the Western Australian freediving industry, championing the well-being benefits of trauma-informed freedive and respiratory education, as well as the life-saving education offered by certified freediving courses. I'm an action-orientated advocate for action for ocean restoration. You'll find me as much at home on a remote West Australian beach hauling marine debris out of a sand dune as you will on stage communicating to a crowd of people the importance of safe dive buddy practices.
I'm proud to be the creative director of the Feel Alive, Freedive Initiative established in 2018, promoting both marine safety and freediving for mental health and the Mermantle project established in 2020. The Mermantle Project offers community mental health services free to men through the power of song with the Mermantle Men program, while the Mermantle Youth Program supports young men in developing freediving safety consciousness, self-leadership and healthy mental attitudes for life through the Feel Alive, Freedive program. Hear my talk here about Pathways to Ocean Health on World Ocean's Day. As a former non-executive director of Recfishwest, the states' peak body for recreational fishing, the vice chairperson of the WA Undersea Club Inc. and a panelist at the 2021 Blue Growth Economy Forum I have enjoyed continued growth in my public speaking skills, advocating for ocean restoration-innovation, marine safety, sustainable spearfishing and deepening humanities' ocean connectedness.
I fund the Fremantle Underwater Film Festival through my work as a Master freedive instructor, mindfulness coach and pranayama (breathwork) teacher for the locally owned and operated, Blueback Freediving & Yoga.
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By supporting my business, Blueback Freediving and Yoga you support my ability to continue running the Fremantle Underwater Film Festival - a grassroots festival that would not be such a success without the support of local businesses and not-for-profit marine conservation organizations, underwater cinematographers and the efforts of her local community volunteers who give generously of their time and resources to ensure the show runs effectively on the smell of an oily rag.
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I'd like to thank my supporters over the past 10 years and make a special thank you to both creative artist, Marion Vanhaecke (aka 'Marion le Crayon') who created our beautiful, original festival logo and underwater photographer, Chiara Bussini (of Carpe Diem Holistic) for her beautiful underwater freedive portraits used on this website.
I BELIEVE EVERYONE HAS THE POWER TO TAKE ACTION
TO IMPROVE OCEAN HEALTH.
I created the FUFF in 2014 to build a more sustainable world by bringing ocean stories, marine science and the transformational nature of the human-water connection into your life in creative ways. As a creative artist and underwater photographer, I saw visual media as a powerful tool for helping to restore the health of the ocean of which we are all an integral part.
Our health and the health of the ocean are connected.
To help out with a festival stall, volunteering, sponsorship or partnership with the not-for-profit Fremantle Underwater Film Festival (FUFF), please get in touch!
The festival is entirely volunteer-run and cannot survive without the help and support of the community to make it possible.
Donations to assist with the running of the Fremantle Underwater Film Festival (FUFF) are gratefully received and can be credited online on behalf of your business or organization.
See FUFF contact info tab on the website www.fuff.com.au to donate or sponsor.