One city's loss is another city's gain.
The Bay Area is adding another film festival to it's list of credits, thanks to light wallets on the other side of the country.
The Blue Ocean Film Festival, which brings together ocean filmmakers and experts, is moving to the Monterey Peninsula in California after its inaugural year in Savannah.
The Monterey Bay Aquarium will be the presenting sponsor for the 2010 event, set for Aug. 25-29.
The Savannah Morning News says Mari Carswell, chairwoman of the festival's advisory board, says $200,000 was needed to keep the festival in Savannah.
"It was a struggle," Carswell said. "Essentially people came to the table with money, and as hard as we tried, we raised so little money in Savannah."
The festival will offer an industry conference, the screening of more than 50 ocean films and exhibits of underwater photography and visual arts.
There also will be opportunities to hear from renowned filmmakers, photographers, ocean conservation advocates and policymakers.
There's a possibility the festival will return to Savannah in 2011, Carswell said.
