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Nico Baumgärtel – a wildlife filmmaker and camera operator based in Berlin, Germany, with a passion for capturing authentic animal behaviour in remote and challenging environments.
He says ¨My work focuses on wildlife cinematography using long lenses, camera traps, thermal imaging, and drone operations. I enjoy spending extended periods in the field, whether working from hides, remote camps, or isolated wilderness locations, always aiming to document natural behaviour with patience and respect for the subject.
My background includes military training, advanced first aid, survival, and wildlife tracking, providing me with the skills and mindset required for demanding productions in remote areas. I am particularly comfortable in situations that require endurance, self-reliance, careful planning, and the ability to remain calm under pressure.
I have experience working with RED, ARRI, Sony, and DJI systems, as well as remote camera setups designed to capture natural behaviour with minimal disturbance. My approach to wildlife filmmaking has been strongly influenced by my mentor Oliver Goetzl, whose philosophy of patient observation and behavioural anticipation continues to shape my work today. I have also gained valuable experience through productions with GULO FILM.
Above all, I am passionate about telling authentic wildlife stories and collaborating with people who share a deep respect for nature, conservation, and high-quality natural history filmmaking.¨
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New Short Film From Thailand Wild Uses Wild Boar Footage to Critique Global Animal Agriculture
Natural history filmmaker Darryl Sweetland has released a compelling new short film on his conservation channel, Thailand Wild, capturing the early life of wild boar piglets at Big Pool in the Huai Khayeng Nature Park region.
While the release initially presents a traditional, intimate look at native wildlife behaviours, it pivots into a sharp industrial critique, highlighting the profound ethical and physical juxtaposition between free wildlife and the billions of domesticated pigs (and other species) kept globally within industrial farming systems.
The film relies on pristine, observational field tracking to document a striped litter of wild boars wallowing, foraging, and navigating their natural jungle habitat. Sweetland explicitly utilises these serene natural sequences as a direct subversion of typical wildlife shorts, using the baseline of natural freedom to pose urgent questions regarding systemic animal exploitation. The narrative directly confronts the conditions of the estimated 1.5 billion domesticated pigs moving through the global animal agriculture industry annually, drawing a stark line between the natural sovereignty of the wild boars and the total subjugation of their domesticated counterparts.
"The goal of the project is to bridge the gap between traditional natural history filmmaking and proactive animal advocacy," says Sweetland. By emphasising the shared biology, high intelligence, and complex social traits inherent to both wild and farmed pigs, the production functions as an explicit call for systemic industry reform and a vocal endorsement of the global vegan movement.
The short film is available for immediate viewing on the official channel, or below:
¨When I see these gorgeous animals, my heart bleeds for the 1.5 billion pigs that are enslaved in the animal agriculture industry each year for nothing more than gastronomic entertainment in virtually all cases. Meat eating really is the scourge of the modern world, and is not just an animal rights issue but is very much a conservation, environmental, and human health issue too. And there really is no justification for it in a world full of nutritious plant-based foods. For those who haven’t considered the arguments in detail, a plant-based diet has five major advantages.
Firstly, it greatly reduces animal suffering. Pigs are highly intelligent, ranking higher than dogs and human toddlers in cognitive tests so they are well aware of the abuse inflicted on them. As are the other 90 billion land animals farmed for consumption each year. About 10 for every human on the planet.
Secondly, it reduces the climate impact of food production. Animal agriculture has an effect on climate change equal to all forms of transport combined.
Thirdly, growing plants is far more energy efficient, requiring much less land and water to produce the same number of calories. And everywhere we see wilderness being converted to farmland, and rivers and wetlands drying up. And therefore has a far kinder impact on the environment and on the species that we share the earth with, and which we are currently driving to extinction at an alarming rate.
For example, 80% of world soybean production is grown, not for direct human consumption, but to be used for animal feed, including on vast areas of land that used to be Amazon rainforest.
Fourthly, for better human health. Looking around we can all see the catastrophic effects of the modern human diet. A plant-based diet is associated with lower rates of heart disease, obesity and some cancers, and is strongly linked to improved endurance.
Last, but by no means least. A reduction in animal agriculture could reduce the spread and emergence of zoonotic diseases, some of which have had disastrous consequences in recent history. HIV/Aids and Covid-19 had catastrophic effects on the world, but these would have been nothing if the WHO hadn’t successfully contained Ebola to small parts of Central and Western Africa. And SARS, MERS, Avian flu, Nipah virus, and Salmonella are all hazards of life that we have all felt the consequences of whether we eat animals or not.¨
Large-spotted Civet Filmed through the Camera for the First Time Ever
Darryl Sweetland has filmed Large-spotted Civet in Huai Khayeng Nature Park, he thinks for the very first time.
He said ¨I have been spending many hours sitting in our hides at night recently, and at last, on the 17th February, 2026, I got what may be the first film in the wild ever obtained of a Large-spotted Civet. In any case, it was a wonderful experience and the first glimpse of this beautiful and elusive creature with my own eyes.¨
¨On the 17th and 19th of February 2026 I got what is probably the first ever film of the rarely seen Large-spotted Civet in the wild live on camera. That footage can be seen on my other channel: / @HuaiKhayengNaturePark I have tried and failed a few more times since then, but on this day, the 10th April 2026, I got my best film ever of this species, and I am over the moon.
I also took a lot of behind-the-scenes footage, and here is a film about how I film these rare and elusive mammals at night.¨
Protect The Wild´s powerful new animation to end the Guga hunt
Actor Brian Cox narrates harrowing new film calling for an end to the Guga hunt in Scotland.
This latest animation from Protect The Wild, narrated by Scottish actor Brian Cox, is out NOW!
It’s hard to watch. But you need to see it. And we need this to go viral.
In just 40 seconds, a life begins - and ends. A chick safe in their nest. A bright future ahead. Then - gone. An empty space. A parent bird calling out. No answer.
A life taken before it ever began. All for the sake of human greed.
Meet the Characters of “A Gorilla Story: Told by David Attenborough”
Formed in 1993 by the powerful silverback Pablo, the legendary Pablo mountain gorilla group is deeply woven into the history of the Fossey Fund. With roots tracing back to Dian Fossey and her pioneering work with the iconic Group 5, this remarkable family has been continuously monitored by our teams since its very beginning—offering an unbroken window into decades of gorilla behavior, resilience and change.
And now this extraordinary group is about to step into the global spotlight—as they’re featured in the upcoming Netflix documentary A Gorilla Story: Told by David Attenborough. Their story and what makes them so compelling is only just beginning to unfold.
David Attenborough returns to Netflix with “A Gorilla Story”
Netflix has set an April 17 premiere date for its latest foray into nature documentaries, A Gorilla Story: Told by David Attenborough, which features narration from the iconic wildlife presenter while expanding on a story of his meeting a baby gorilla.
The feature doc begins with the story of Attenborough’s first encounter with the baby gorilla Pablo (pictured) before exploring how Pablo’s direct descendants are doing today in the mountains of Rwanda.
The film, which is directed by Oscar winner James Reed (My Octopus Teacher) with Callum Webster serving as co-director and Amy Thompson as assistant director, combines contemporary and archival footage of the gorilla group that features never-before-filmed behaviors. The Attenborough narration also includes excerpts from his 1978 journals.
A Gorilla Story: Told by David Attenborough is produced by All3Media’s Silverback Films in association with Appian Way. The producer is Alastair Fothergill, who also serves as executive producer for Silverback Films, with Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Davisson and Phillip Watson executive producing for Appian Way.
Spending 250 shooting days over several years with three camera operators in Volcanoes National Park, the crew of Netflix documentary A Gorilla Story was able to capture multiple seasons of the great apes’ behaviour.
Weaving together Attenborough’s contemporary thoughts and remembrances alongside readings from his journals and archival footage from 1978 — and his first encounter with the silverbacks of the Rwandan mountains — the film gets inside the Pablo Group, as the gorilla family is known. It not only offers a detailed look at the daily life of these majestic creatures, it serves as a poignant bookend to Attenborough’s adventure nearly 50 years ago in the landmark nature documentary Life on Earth..
The documentary, produced by Silverback Films with Appian Way, is directed by James Reed (My Octopus Teacher) and produced by Alastair Fothergill (Life on Our Planet). It releases globally on April 17th.
WHAT WAS THE GENESIS OF THIS PROJECT?
ALASTAIR: I’ve worked with David Attenborough for my whole career and obviously the most famous sequence in the whole of wildlife filmmaking is David with Pablo the gorilla in Life on Earth, his first series.
JAMES: We wanted to do a story about that particular group of gorillas.
ALASTAIR: Nobody had ever had the chance to do a proper film on gorillas, and I knew it was
critical to get a variety of behavior. I knew this was a film that had never been made from a pure natural history sense. People have been up the mountain with presenters for a couple of days, but we spent 250 days with these gorillas, with three camera operators.
JAMES: We would do four or six week shoots, four or five times a year for two years.
Legendary Cinematographer Doug Allan OBE Dies Aged 74
The natural history filmmaking community is paying tribute to one of its most iconic figures, Doug Allan, who has died at the age of 74. The award-winning cameraman passed away on 8 April 2026, in Pokhara, Nepal, after suffering a brain haemorrhage while trekking toward Annapurna Base Camp.
Known as the industry’s "master of the ice," Doug’s four-decade career transformed the way global audiences viewed the polar regions. Originally a scientist with the British Antarctic Survey, he transitioned to filmmaking in the early 1980s, becoming a mainstay of the BBC Natural History Unit’s most ambitious projects, including The Blue Planet, Planet Earth, and Frozen Planet.
Sir David Attenborough, a long-time friend and collaborator, once noted that "cameramen don’t come much more special than Doug Allan," citing his unique combination of biological expertise, diving prowess, and physical endurance. His work earned him eight Emmys, five BAFTAs, and two Polar Medals. In 2024, he was awarded an OBE for his services to broadcast media and environmental awareness.
Beyond the lens, he was a tireless campaigner for the natural world. In his final years, he used his public profile to lobby for "ecocide" laws and educate the public on the climate crisis through his "Wild Images, Wild Life" tours. His management company, Jo Sarsby, confirmed he died "immersed in nature and surrounded by friends," doing what he loved most.
He is survived by his son, Liam, and leaves behind a visual legacy that remains the gold standard for polar cinematography.
Beyond his artistic eye, Doug’s legacy is defined by his profound technical innovation in extreme environments. A pioneer in cold-water diving and filming, he was among the first to successfully adapt heavy 16mm and later digital cinema cameras for use in the Antarctic. He developed bespoke thermal housings and anti-fogging techniques that are now industry standards. His deep understanding of sea-ice dynamics allowed him to film safely in locations others deemed unreachable, and his expertise in long-lens predator tracking—particularly of polar bears and leopard seals—set the benchmark for the "patience-driven" storytelling that defines modern blue-chip natural history.
Industry Tributes
Sir David Attenborough: "Wildlife cameramen don’t come much more special than Doug... He has an uncanny understanding of animals that tells him what they are about to do before they do it."
Sue Flood OBE: "He was a brilliant and incredibly determined colleague, a passionate conservationist, and a dear friend to so many in the polar community."
Jo Sarsby Management: "Doug was a true gentleman with an extraordinary talent. He leaves behind a body of work that transformed our visual understanding of the ends of the Earth."
Bertie Gregory: "A legend of our industry, known as much for his incredible footage as he was for his kindness to anyone starting out in the field."
Tributes Pour in for Macro Cinematography Pioneer Alastair MacEwen
The natural history world is mourning another of its most significant pioneers following the death of legendary cinematographer Alastair MacEwen. A master of the hidden "micro" world, MacEwen passed away in April 2026, just days after the loss of his close colleague and friend, Doug Allan.
Alastair was celebrated as one of the finest macro cameramen in the history of the genre. His career spanned nearly 50 years, beginning with the foundational 1979 BBC series Life on Earth. He was particularly renowned for his extraordinary patience and technical ingenuity, capturing intimate animal behaviours that had never before been seen by the human eye.
Throughout his career, Alastair was the visual architect behind some of natural history's most celebrated sequences. While he was a versatile filmmaker whose work extended to aerials and long-lens wildlife filming across global series like Great Migrations
and Africa
, he was the undisputed pioneer of cinematic macro. His mastery of detail was essential to landmark series, including:
The Hunt: Filming the intricate web-spinning of raft spiders.
Wild Isles: Capturing the complex mating rituals of ash-black slugs.
A Perfect Planet: Utilizing 30-year-old bespoke lenses to film 2mm fig wasps inside a living fruit.
Secrets of the Bees: His final project for National Geographic, released in early 2026, where he served as head cinematographer to capture a revolutionary "bee’s-eye view" of the hive.
His contributions were recognized globally, culminating in a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2024 Wildscreen Festival. He was also a multi-award winner at the Jackson Wild and Panda Awards, as well as a Primetime Emmy nominee for his work on Our Planet
.
Alastair was a self-taught engineer of the lens. Long before modern "off-the-shelf" macro solutions existed, he was programming and building his own motion-control rigs
and custom extension tubes. Colleagues remember his toolkit as a blend of "vintage craftsmanship and cutting-edge innovation."
Beyond his technical brilliance, Alastair and his late wife, Hilary, were beloved mentors to generations of filmmakers. Their home in Bristol was often open to young cameramen starting their careers, providing a space for wisdom, encouragement, and "stories from shoots gone by."
Industry Tributes
Wildscreen Festival: "The wildlife film world would not be what it is today without his influence. His cinematography was not only groundbreaking but sublime in execution."
Patrick Morris (Producer): "A true gentleman and a masterful cinematographer who generously shared his skills with everyone."
John Brown (Filmmaker): "He set standards to which we all aspire. He was extremely passionate, intelligent, and curious, with a sense of wonder that never stopped."
Alastair is survived by his sons, Ross and Mark MacEwen, the latter of whom continues the family legacy as a world-renowned wildlife cinematographer.
A ceremony to celebrate Alastair’s extraordinary life was held on 22 April 2026 at South Bristol Crematorium, attended by many from the filmmaking community he helped build.
A great loss to our community. RIP Alastair.
Technical Pioneer and Wildlife Film Specialist Simon Williams dies aged 58
The wildlife film community is mourning the loss of Simon Williams, who passed away over the Easter weekend (6 April 2026) following a brave battle with cancer.
Simon was a cornerstone of the Bristol natural history technical sector, known for his deep expertise, calm professionalism, and constant good humour.
Simon was a familiar and reassuring presence for generations of wildlife filmmakers. Having spent much of his career at the heart of the Bristol "hub," he was instrumental in supporting the technical delivery of some of the world's most prestigious natural history productions. Whether managing complex workflows or troubleshooting high-pressure edit suites, Simon was regarded as an "industry hero" who combined technical brilliance with a genuine passion for the craft of filmmaking.
Colleagues have described Simon as a "true gentleman" and an "encyclopedia of knowledge" who remained positive and at peace throughout his illness. His influence stretched beyond the edit suite; he was a mentor to many young technicians and a beloved friend to the producers and editors who relied on his skill to bring their visions to life.
During his long career within the Bristol technical hub, Simon was instrumental in the technical delivery and post-production support of dozens of prestigious natural history projects. While technical specialists often work behind the scenes, Simon was a vital link in the chain for landmark series produced in Bristol, including technical support for:
Wild Isles (BBC)
A Perfect Planet (BBC/Silverback Films)
The Secret Life of Rockpools
Numerous "Natural World" specials and BBC Natural History Unit projects during his many years of service to the industry's technical infrastructure.
Funeral and Wake Details: His family has confirmed that a funeral service will be held on Friday, 15 May 2026. Following the service, the wildlife film community is invited to gather for a wake to celebrate Simon’s life and legacy: The Moon & Sixpence, Clevedon, from Midday.
Simon will be remembered not only for his technical contributions but for the warmth and kindness he brought to the Bristol creative community. RIP Simon.
CALL FOR ENTRY
– GREEN SCREEN Pitching Session 2026
For PITCHING SESSION FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11th 2026
Filmmakers focusing on the natural world are invited to take advantage of this unique opportunity to pitch their planned film project to a board of commissioning editors, producers and distributors at the PITCHING SESSION of the International Wildlife Film Festival GREEN SCREEN 2026.
The pitching session is public and follows international rules. Your pitch must not be longer than 7-10 minutes. After that, the experts and decision-makers are invited to discuss the project and, if appropriate, express their interest.
This years GREEN SCREEN Pitching Session will again be an in-person-event in Eckernförde.
Due to possible climate-relevant constraints of long-distance travel, there will be an additional possibility of virtual presentation of pitches and online participation of experts as well.
The event will take place in person in Eckernförde. In the context of climate-related restrictions on long-distance travel, virtual pitches may also be possible, as well as experts joining online.
To participate, the following must be submitted via the submission form:
An Exposé, describing the project should be described, including approximate shooting time, locations and the people involved
A short CV
An approximate budget idea
If available, a trailer or other footage
SUBMISSION DEADLINE: MAY 31st 2026!
If you are interested, please contact Pitching directors Annette Scheurich and Anne Olzmann via pitching@greenscreen-festival.de.
The sooner we know who plans to pitch, the better, even if not all documents are ready.
A pre-selection panel will select 8 participants for the pitching session by August 1st 2026.
Some of the projects that have been presented in recent years have already been produced. Participation is always an enriching experience!
As the promotion of emerging talent in nature film has always been a concern of GREEN SCREEN, submissions by newcomers and ambitious young filmmakers are encouraged.
Please feel free to spread the word!
See you at GREEN SCREEN in Eckernförde September 09th – 13th 2026!
Selected cinema release for Pablo Behrens´ London's Last Wilderness
It has been confirmed that the film London's Last Wilderness will receive a selected cinema release in England starting April 24th.
The film is about a region closest to the capital but hiding in plain sight.
It is an ecological and cosmological powerhouse that has been filmed during four years from land, sea and sky for the first time ever.
Mangrove Photography Awards 2026 - Open for Entries!
An initiative of Mangrove Action Project — a non-profit restoring and
protecting the world’s mangrove forests — the annual Mangrove
Photography Awards sparks conversation and inspires conservation and
restoration efforts for one of the world’s most vital and most threatened
ecosystems.
Through authentic imagery and storytelling, we bring the beauty and
plight of mangroves and coastal communities to life, creating a human
connection that reshapes how we value these ecosystems and the global
efforts to protect them.
The Mangrove Photography Awards is judged by experts in the field, from
professional wildlife photographers to conservation photojournalists, who
are passionate about unique perspectives on visual storytelling. Photographs
and photo essays will be judged on originality, composition, overall impact,
artistic merit, and technical excellence.
We invite a panel of esteemed nature photographers and industry
professionals to judge and select from the competition's entries.
Past judges
include Cristina Mittermeier, Steve Winter, Beverly Joubert, Bertie
Gregory, Morgan Heim, Dhritiman Mukherjee, and Chien Lee.
Keep an eye
out for this year’s exciting judging panel.
The judges will select overall winners for each category as well as a shortlist
for the People’s Choice Awards, to be voted for on social media.
Key dates:
April 1st – Applications open
June 1st
– Applications close
July 24th
– Winners announcements ahead of
World Mangrove Day / Exhibitions
August
– People’s Choice Awards
FREE
Entry!
The competition is free to enter.
There’s $7,000 in cash prizes and excellent opportunities for showcasing
photographers and their work, as well as mangroves to global audiences.
Easy to enter and open to everyone of all abilities. Entrants can submit up to 12
photos by following the submission form on our website.
Choose between categories:
Wildlife
Underwater
Threats
People
Landscape
Portfolio
We can’t wait to see what people have photographed in the mangroves.
From more than 13,000 images submitted to the BWPA 2026 competition, the judges have chosen 'A Toad Swims Across Its Woodland Pond' by Paul Hobson as this year's Overall Winner!
“A Toad Swims Across Its Woodland Pond” by Paul Hobson
Toad. Sheffield, England.
I am lucky to have a pond close to my house that has relatively clear water, especially in late winter and early spring before the algae starts to grow.
Toads use this pond to breed in and I decided I wanted to try to capture an image looking up from the bottom of the pond. To try to do this I built a glass box to house the camera and keep it dry. I had to add ballast to make sure it would sink and used old tripod legs glued to its sides to keep the box level. I worked out the depth the box would be and set the focus so that it would capture a toad, if one swam across the surface. I triggered the camera using an adapted long cable release.
I had to wait quite a long time until a toad swam across the surface – most of them would usually swim below it and rest on the glass.
The Young British Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2026 was awarded to Ben Lucas for his charming image of a mute swan cygnet taking a nap on its sibling’s back. “Nature can often be so cruel, but tender moments like this warm my heart!” said Lucas.
Entries are now open for the 15th British Wildlife Photography Awards!
Are you our next winner? Enter through the Entry Portal for a chance to win a share of the almost £10,000 prize fund!
Early Bird entry discount is now available for a limited time.
Get your entry credits now and use them anytime up until the 7th June 2026 deadline.
The 2026 Jackson Wild Media Awards are NOW OPEN for Submissions!
For 35 years, the Jackson Wild Media Awards have celebrated the most compelling storytelling about our planet — honoring filmmakers, journalists, creators, and storytellers whose work deepens our understanding of the natural world and inspires action.
This year marks an exciting new chapter.
For 2026, Jackson Wild is proud to introduce an expanded awards program in collaboration with Hollywood Climate Summit, featuring new categories and shared recognitions that highlight the growing power of climate and environmental storytelling across media and culture.
Hollywood Climate Summit is best known for its annual gathering of leaders and storytellers working to mobilize the film and television industry to tell stories that help shape a more sustainable future. Through this partnership, the legacy of the Jackson Wild Media Awards and the evolution represented by the Hollywood Climate Summit Awards come together to bridge documentary and fiction storytelling across mediums and formats—long and short—in service of a shared mission.
Submissions for both awards are made through a single shared entry portal, making it easy for creators and filmmakers to submit their work and be considered for the most relevant program.
Each organization maintains its own categories, judging process, and final selections.
The joint awards ceremony will take place in Los Angeles in November 2026, as the closing to a special industry event — stay tuned for more information!
This pilot initiative creates a new opportunity to connect with storytellers across documentary and fiction, while building on the work we’ll continue in Jackson in 2027.
If you've created a project that explores the beauty, urgency, and complexity of our natural world, we invite you to submit your work and join a global community of storytellers shaping the future of environmental media.
Submit early to save on entry fees.
Early Bird Deadline: April 1, 2026 — 11:59 PM MT
NB. Deadline to enter the Jackson Wild Media Awards is May 8th, 2026 11:59PM MT
Deadline to enter the Hollywood Climate Summit Awards is June 22nd, 2026 11:59PM MT
Big Wins from ACFF 2026 !
Thank you to everyone who made ACFF 2026 our most successful festival yet with record-breaking attendance! We’re grateful to the filmmakers, guests, sponsors, partners, donors, volunteers, and audiences who made the weekend so special.
ACFF 2026 SHORT FILM
AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD WINNER
In Her Nature:
Sloth Detectives
This film followed an award-winning zoologist, her tree-climbing BFF, and their sloth-sniffing rescue dog team up in Costa Rica’s jungles for the first-ever sloth census, mixing science, adventure, and plenty of laughs to protect these creatures. The all-female film crew that captured rarely observed sloth behaviors on camera joined us after the film for an inspiring Q&A.
Congratulations to Jocelyn Stokes, Katie Schuler, Melanie Lippert, Jess Wiegandt Gomez, and Ash Benzwie!
ACFF 2026 FEATURE FILM
AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD WINNER
Snow Leopard Sisters
This true story of an unlikely yet powerful friendship between two Indigenous women in the Himalayan mountains stole our audience’s heart. The documentary follows a snow leopard conservationist (and her toddler son) as she mentors a 17-year-old who is desperate to escape a forced marriage. Through intimate verité footage and stunning cinematography, the film highlights the power of the women’s conservation efforts in their own mountain home, shaping a better future for themselves and for the elusive snow leopards.
Congratulations to Andrew Lynch, Sonam Choekyi, and Ben Ayers!
Each Audience Choice Award comes with a cash prize to support future conservation film projects.
Sir David Attenborough's 100th Birthday celebrated across the BBC with special programming
A slate of new shows will feature alongside beloved landmark series in a week-long celebration of Sir David's work and legacy
The BBC has commissioned a slate of new shows to mark Sir David Attenborough’s 100th birthday, on Friday 8 May, and will be showcasing some of the finest programmes from his extraordinary seven-decade career in a week-long celebration of his work and legacy.
New programmes
Making Life on Earth: Attenborough’s Greatest Adventure - featuring new interviews with David and the original production team (including Richard Brock) as they reflect on the making of the ground-breaking series Life on Earth for BBC One and iPlayer
Secret Garden - a new primetime series for BBC One and iPlayer, in which Attenborough reveals the hidden worlds and remarkable wildlife thriving within Britain’s gardens
David Attenborough’s 100 Years on Planet Earth - a celebratory live event for BBC One and iPlayer from the Royal Albert Hall, featuring the BBC Concert Orchestra and special guests.
From the archive
Special episodes from some of Attenborough’s most beloved landmark series, airing on BBC One in the week leading up to his birthday
A dedicated BBC iPlayer collection showcasing more than 40 series presented by David, celebrating one of the most remarkable bodies of work in broadcasting history.
Jack Bootle, Head of Commissioning, Specialist Factual, says: “It’s impossible to overstate what Sir David Attenborough has given us. His programmes have not only defined Science and Natural History broadcasting, but they have also changed how we see our planet and our place within it. This special week is a celebration of an extraordinary milestone, and of a body of work that continues to inspire awe, curiosity and care for the natural world. It’s also a moment for all of us at the BBC to say thank you to David — for his generosity, for his brilliance, and for a lifetime spent bringing the wonders of nature into our homes.”
Making Life on Earth: Attenborough’s Greatest Adventure
In 1976, production began on David Attenborough's Life on Earth. No-one had ever attempted a natural history series on this scale before. This is the remarkable story behind one of the BBC’s most famous wildlife blockbusters. A three-year, hair-raising odyssey around the world, travelling to 40 countries, across a million miles, and filming over 600 species.
Making Life on Earth: Attenborough’s Greatest Adventure goes behind-the-scenes on this ground-breaking landmark series, featuring exclusive interviews with David Attenborough and other members of the original crew. With fascinating insights, they reveal the highs and lows of filming the series during a truly exciting moment in television history, when global jet travel and colour filming were still in their infancy. Along the way, the crew encountered multiple challenges, including a coup in the Comoros, being shot at in Rwanda and threats from Saddam Hussein’s army in Iraq. Broadcast in 1979 and watched by 500 million people worldwide, it confirmed David’s reputation as the most successful and influential wildlife filmmaker of our time. His astonishing encounter with gorillas in the mountains of Rwanda for this series is frequently voted one of the top TV moments of all time.
Making Life on Earth: Attenborough’s Greatest Adventure, a 1x60’, for BBC One and iPlayer, is made by BBC Studios Natural History Unit and co-produced by PBS. It was commissioned by Jack Bootle, Head of Commissioning, Specialist Factual and the Commissioning Editor was Sreya Biswas, former Head of Commissioning, Natural History. The Executive Producer is Mike Davis, Production Executive is Sue Aartse-Tuyn and Producer Director is Victoria Bobin. Diana El-Osta is the Executive in Charge for PBS. BBC Studios is handling global sales.
Secret Garden
In Wild Isles and Wild London, David showed us the remarkable wildlife dramas playing out in the British countryside and on the streets of our capital city. Now, in Secret Garden, he’s turning his attention to Britain’s backyards.
Over five episodes - set in five very different gardens across the UK - David reveals the lives of the often charming, occasionally daring, always secretive animals that inhabit the hidden world right on our doorsteps. Theirs is no cosy existence - even in these beautiful and seemingly genteel surroundings the rules of the wild still operate.
From pine martens in the Western Highlands to dormice in South Wales, swallows in the Lake District to otters in Oxfordshire and blue tits in Bristol, the series reveals not just a rich and surprising diversity of life but also how each species finds its own way to live alongside us.
Through meeting the gardeners that have created these wild oases, we discover how our nation of animal lovers and gardeners can do their bit to save struggling species. Eighty per cent of Britons have access to a garden, and together they cover an area greater than all of our national nature reserves combined - so what we do in our own backyards has an impact not only on the animals that live there, but also on whole populations.
You’ll never look at your garden in the same way again. Secret Garden, a 5x60’ series for BBC One and iPlayer, is made by Plimsoll Productions, part of ITV Studios, co-produced by The Open University and The National Trust in association with ARTE France. It was commissioned by Jack Bootle, Head of Commissioning, Specialist Factual. The Executive Producers are Grant Mansfield, Martha Holmes and Mark Brownlow and the Series Producer is Bill Markham. The Commissioning Editor is Tom Watt-Smith. Global distribution will be handled by ITV Studios.
David Attenborough’s 100 Years on Planet Earth
In celebration of David’s 100th birthday on Friday 8 May, BBC One will bring the nation together for a live event honouring his ground-breaking career at the forefront of natural history storytelling.
Held on his birthday at London’s Royal Albert Hall, the event will take audiences on a journey through a century of exploration and discovery in the natural world, seen through the prism of David’s extraordinary life. It will feature dramatic wildlife stories, accompanied by live music from his programmes, alongside spoken reflections from public figures and leading advocates for the natural world.
Accompanied by the BBC Concert Orchestra, it will feature original compositions from some of David’s best-known landmark series. Alongside the music, guests will include some of those he has collaborated with from the world of conservation and wildlife filmmaking.
David Attenborough’s 100 Years on Planet Earth, for BBC One and iPlayer, is jointly staged and produced by BBC Studios Music Productions, and its Natural History Unit. It was commissioned by Jack Bootle, Head of Commissioning, Specialist Factual. The Executive Producers are Alison Howe for Music and Mike Davis and Jonny Keeling for the NHU. The Commissioning Editor is Tom Watt-Smith.
BBC One will also pay tribute to David’s phenomenal body of work by screening episodes of some of the viewers’ favourite series, including Planet Earth II; Seven Worlds, One Planet; Blue Planet II; Planet Earth III; Frozen Planet II; and his most recent film Wild London.
BBC iPlayer will add a special rail to the homepage where viewers can choose to stream from over 40 of David’s best loved programmes, from Zoo Quest to his most recent series including Kingdom, Parenthood and Attenborough and the Giant Sea Monster.
BBC Radio will also be marking David’s birthday with special content across its networks. More details will be announced in due course.
We’re excited to announce the official film selections for the 2026 World Wildlife Day Film Showcase, presented by Jackson Wild in partnership with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
We're proud to help shine a spotlight on stories that are too often underappreciated - stories of medicinal and aromatic plants, and of the communities whose knowledge and care sustain them. These films remind us that protecting biodiversity is inseparable from protecting health, heritage, and livelihoods. Christie Quinn,
Executive Director, Jackson Wild
The four selected films aligned with the 2026 World Wildlife Day theme, Medicinal and Aromatic Plants: Conserving Health, Heritage, and Livelihoods, explore stories rooted in culture, conservation, and community—highlighting how the protection of medicinal and aromatic plants supports ecosystems, sustains livelihoods, and preserves generations of ancestral wisdom.
2026 Official Selection Films
As announced during the UN World Wildlife Day 2026 celebrations on March 3:
CAFÉ Y AVES
Roshan Patel, Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute
Indian Sandalwood
DAISY SKY
Plant Path
Karthic SS, Think Nature
Waiting for Alstonia
A film by Elodie Freymann
All selected films are available to stream online for free through December 31, 2026, offering educators, community groups, and audiences worldwide the opportunity to engage with these powerful stories on their own schedules.
Britain, Unexpected
- Five surprising discoveries from a German film crew exploring the UK’s wildest places
The UK is one of the most densely populated countries in Europe. Yet around 10% of the country is protected as national parks.
Across these areas wildlife continues to thrive, from remote uplands to ancient forests and exposed coastlines. These places are shaped by both nature and people. Inside Britain’s National Parks explores these iconic landscapes.
The series is created by a young German production company from Berlin, encountering Britain’s national parks with fresh eyes. Here, they share their five most surprising discoveries.
1. Caring for the environment
One of the biggest surprises was the locals’ level of commitment to protecting their environment.
Across all four parks, people dedicate large parts of their lives to it. From rangers to volunteers, conservation here is not just policy, it is personal. What drives people like the guardian of a temperate rainforest on Dartmoor? Or the Commoners in the New Forest? Their spirit is rooted in wondrous traditions, carried forward over generations. In Britain, things tend to follow a plan.
And it makes sense: on an island, space is never taken for granted, so you’d better look after it.
Neon Buys Bong Joon Ho’s First Animated Feature ‘Ally,’ About a Piglet Squid Who Dreams of Movie Stardom
The "Parasite" and "The Host" filmmaker is turning to animation for the first time with his "Ally," but it's not all new: he's also re-teaming with his "Parasite" distributor to bring the film to the world.
Neon has acquired North American rights to Bong Joon Ho’s highly anticipated debut animated feature film, “Ally.” The filmmaker returns to Neon following the release of his “Parasite,” which won four Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Director, and Original Screenplay, in addition to the film winning Best International Feature Film, becoming the first film to win both Best Picture and Best International Feature Film. The film will be completed in the first half of 2027. Neon will give the film a wide theatrical release in North America in the same year.
Academy Award–winning writer and director Bong Joon Ho’s first animated feature, “Ally,” isn’t even here yet, and look, we’re already learning so much from it. Like, is a “piglet squid” — the species at the center of the film — real? You bet it is, and it’s adorable.
Director Bong and his team have today revealed a first look at “Ally,” which has been in development since 2019. Bong directed the film and co-wrote the script alongside “Sleep” filmmaker Jason Yu.
Per today’s announcement, the film follows “a curious and endearing piglet squid living in the uncharted depths of the South Pacific Ocean. She dreams of one day seeing the sun and becoming the star of a wildlife documentary. But when a mysterious aircraft sinks into the ocean, her peaceful world is suddenly thrown into danger. Alongside her colorful and loyal — yet unlikely — companions, Ally is thrust into an extraordinary journey that will take her all the way to the surface.”
National Geographic has announced the next instalments of the Emmy-winning “Secrets of” franchise, Secrets of the Bees, with all episodes streaming April 1 on Disney+.and National Geographic WILD.
Secrets of the Bees is produced by Silverback Films and James Cameron’s Lightstorm Earth
Hosted and narrated by explorer Bertie Gregory, Secrets of the Bees uses groundbreaking filming technology to reveal the extraordinary world of bees. With the expertise of entomologist and fellow National Geographic Explorer Dr. Samuel Ramsey, the series uncovers their astonishing architecture and intelligence, unlocking their secrets and featuring never-before-filmed moments.
For its fifth anniversary, ‘Secrets of’ turns its lens to one of Earth’s smallest yet most vital heroes: bees,” says executive producer James Cameron. “Far more than pollinators, bees are socially complex, fast-thinking individuals and the most important insects on our planet. Their impact on the natural world and humanity is immeasurable, and we’re only just beginning to see how extraordinary they truly are.”
National Geographic’s Secrets of the Bees will kick off its Earth Month initiative in April 2026.
Secrets of the Bees is produced by Silverback Films for National Geographic. Emmy Award-winners James Cameron and Maria Wilhelm for Lightstorm Earth are executive producers. For Silverback Films, Alastair Fothergill and Huw Cordey serve as series producers, and Nadége Laici serves as producer and director. Pam Caragol is executive producer for National Geographic.
Here, they say: Today, we are joined by Tania Esteban, a wildlife filmmaker who is guiding us on how to capture wildlife in more suburban and city landscapes, taking us on a deep dive into what you can find with just a little intuition, a camera, and a good zoom lens.
Foley in Wildlife Films: How Sound Design Brings Nature to Life – Roxy the Zoologist
Sound is one of the most powerful tools in wildlife filmmaking, yet much of what we hear in documentaries isn’t recorded in the wild at all. From the subtle rustle of leaves under a fox’s paws to the flap of a bird’s wings, these sounds are often recreated in studios using Foley and sound design.
In this video, filmed in collaboration with Wounded Buffalo, we take you behind the scenes of wildlife sound design to show exactly how these immersive audio experiences are created. You’ll learn what Foley is, why filmmakers rely on it to make wildlife feel alive, and how professional sound designers capture and craft every detail that often goes unnoticed by the audience.
This educational look at wildlife audio reveals the creative process that transforms raw footage into a fully immersive cinematic experience. From subtle textures to dramatic moments, sound design shapes the way we experience the natural world on screen and understanding it is key to both creating and appreciating great wildlife films.
An intern to NatGeo - Wildlife Filmmaker Sandesh Kadur on the Toehold Masterchat
In this edition of the Toehold MasterChat, we are having a wonderful conversation with the legendary wildlife filmmaker, National Geographic Explorer, and trustee Sandesh Kadur.
Known for his breathtaking documentaries and relentless passion for conservation, Sandesh shares his journey of visual storytelling, fascinating behind-the-scenes stories from his documentaries, his experience as a NatGeo Explorer and trustee, and much more!
CALL FOR ENTRIES: 6th Children's, Science, Nature & Wildlife Film Festival (2027)
Submissions are now open for the 6th CSNWFF, taking place 07 March 2027 in Hyderabad, India. Filmmakers worldwide are invited to submit features, shorts, and documentaries focused on nature, science, and youth-oriented storytelling.
Children's, Science, Nature & Wildlife Film Festival is an India’s independent film festival promoted by Miniboxoffice India. The Children's, Science, Nature & Wildlife Film Festival aim is to showcase & promote professionally made entertaining, enlightening & encouraging feature films, short films, animation & documentaries among target audience. The festival accept all genres of children’s, Science, Nature, Climate & Wildlife films be it a fantasy, motivational, drama, disability, educational, science fiction, adventurous, parenting etc. shops and activities for schoolchildren, roundtable discussions on various nature topics, and other cultural events. MAFF also features nature photography exhibitions, presentations, and gatherings of both professional and amateur photographers.
The wait is over! After a rigorous review by our esteemed jury, we are thrilled to unveil the official finalists for the PWFF 2025-2026 submission season. Out of the numerous submissions we received from across the globe, these extraordinary stories rose to the top, showcasing the power, beauty, and urgent narratives of our natural world.
BEST IN MICRO-DOC FILM:
Home
The Leap Beneath
Nashipai’s Legacy
BEST SHORT FILM:
Chameleon Corridors
Guardians of the Earth
Peixinho (Little Fish)
Notre Paradis De Plastique | Our Plastic Paradise
Thank You Bees
BEST EMERGING FILMMAKER:
Peixinho (Little Fish)
Leopard Dynasty: The Rise of Rana
Nyoka Mpenzi (Snakes My Love)
Even So (Phir Bhi)
Tides of Life
BEST FEATURE-LENGTH FILM:
Leopard Dynasty: The Rise of Rana
Nilgiris - A Shared Wilderness
Blue Burning
Wild Coast Warriors
Phantom of the Village Dogs
BEST AFRICAN FILM:
AFROTOPIA
Chameleon Corridors
A Fine Balance
BEST INNOVATIVE WILDLIFE STORYTELLING:
A Fine Balance
Chameleon Corridors
Congratulations to every filmmaker and team whose work made the cut!
Mark Your Calendar: The Countdown to Mombasa Begins!
The winners will be revealed live during the festival awards ceremony. Join us in celebrating these stories and the natural world and continent that inspires them. Festival Dates: May 27th - 31st, 2026
Location: Mombasa, Kenya
What better way to celebrate Africa Month (May) than by immersing yourself in the continent's premier wildlife film event? We’re putting the finishing touches on an unforgettable program of screenings, masterclasses, and networking events.
Behind the scenes of the Amazon’s gold rush: Director Richard Ladkani on the making of ‘Yanuni’
Austrian director and cinematographer Richard Ladkani knew little about the Amazon Rainforest before he decided to make a film about it.
It was 2019. Fires raged across the Amazon. Ladkani had just finished his film Sea of Shadows, about the desperate effort to rescue the critically endangered vaquita porpoise in the Sea of Cortés and the drug cartels and traffickers threatening its habitat.
He was inhaling news about the fires, which got him thinking: “Is there a movie out there that really explains to people, emotionally, that this is our Amazon? That we’re losing not a remote place far away in Brazil or South America, but that this actually relates to us, wherever you live on the planet?”
Ladkani soon found that the impact-driven film he envisioned did not exist. And so, the first seeds of Yanuni were sown.
Filmed across two worlds, the Brazilian capital Brasília and a remote village in the Xipaya Indigenous Territory, the documentary film focuses on Juma Xipaia, an Indigenous chief from the Brazilian Amazon. It centers her ongoing effort to confront illegal gold miners, land grabbers and multinational corporations threatening the Amazon’s forests, alongside her husband, Hugo Loss, the head of special operations at Brazil’s environmental protection agency, IBAMA, who leads dangerous operations to crack down on illegal mining deep in the rainforest.
The film captures the personal realities environmental defenders face in the Amazon and features rare video of an IBAMA mission to combat illegal miners.
Yanuni was screened in Washington, D.C., on March 28 at the DC Environmental Film Festival (DCEFF), where Mongabay is a media partner.
In an interview with Mongabay’s Aimee Gabay, Ladkani shares behind-the-scenes insights into capturing the life of the Indigenous conservation leader, the filming process, important conversations, and the critical events in Yanuni that bring the Amazon’s dramatic stories to the big screen. The interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.
Ahead of their world premiere screening of Secrets of the Bees last month, DCEFF Advisory Council member Maggie Dewane sat down with Nat Geo Explorer Bertie Gregory and filmmaker Nadège Laici.
With the two-part National Geographic special Secrets of the Bees now streaming on Hulu and Disney+, this insightful conversation makes for great supplemental viewing for those looking to learn more. How did they get such stunning footage? Is Bertie deathly allergic to bee stings or just very allergic? How can you, the viewer, support pollinators? And more!
From Executive Producer James Cameron, SECRET OF THE BEES follows Bertie Gregory as he explores the extraordinary lives of bees - among the planet's most important animals.
Documentary+ Partners with acTVe for Major Earth Day Launch
Global streaming service Documentary+
has announced a major expansion and a dedicated library launch set for Earth Day, April 22nd
, following its recent acquisition by acTVe
. The platform, which has already established a presence in over 70 countries, is positioning itself as the "Netflix of documentaries" under the new leadership of CEO Geoff Clark.
A New Home for Eco-Cinema
The Earth Day launch is part of a broader strategy to provide a distribution "solution" for feature-length and short films that haven't yet found a home on major streaming platforms. The new library will focus specifically on films about our planet, backed by a promotion strategy involving:
NGO & Corporate Partnerships: Collaborative efforts to drive global viewership.
Revenue Sharing: A licensing model that includes subscription and ad revenue shares for filmmakers.
Daily Releases: A commitment to debut one new exclusive film every day throughout April
The acquisition by acTVe—a West Hollywood-based FAST (Free Ad-supported Streaming TV) operator—aims to scale Documentary+ into the definitive global destination for non-fiction storytelling. The service remains free to users and is available across major connected TV platforms, mobile devices, and the web.
Filmmakers with relevant projects are being encouraged to reach out to the team to be included.
The Dinosaurs review – Morgan Freeman’s narration is so soothing, you could use this as a relaxation aid
Yes, there are plenty of big-budget visual effects of prehistoric creatures in Steven Spielberg’s natural history show. But the voiceover is the real draw.
It’s difficult these days to make a nature documentary that isn’t like all the others. Spectacular landscapes, crisp closeup photography, tales of predation and survival, birth and death: whether you go for Pixar cuteness, crimson claws or environmental crisis, it’s been done 100 times before. Watching The Dinosaurs, it’s hard not to sense the same problem starting to affect factual shows about the animal kingdom as it was millions of years ago. Impressive as it is that big-money dino documentaries boast visual effects that look similar to footage of Earth today, we are getting used to it.
Before the opening titles roll, cliches from two genres have been cross-bred. From regular animal shows, there’s the one where a lone male tries to muscle in on a family unit, forcing the existing patriarch to fight for his status against a younger, stronger rival. Our friend who looks as if he’s about to be fatally pushed aside is a pachycephalosaurus, but the dynamic is the same. Then the two males’ head-smashing battle is interrupted by a familiar sight from dinosaur documentaries: the animal posing a threat is suddenly bitten in two by a Tyrannosaurus rex, leaping unbidden through the undergrowth with a camp flourish. The pachycephalosaurus clan, led by their relieved dad, scurry happily away to the sound of the interloper’s cracking skull.
On voiceover is Morgan Freeman, a reliable provider of grand Hollywood vibes whose gravelly folk-tale delivery is starting to slide into self-parody, but no less pleasing for that. He has a lovely habit of bringing us home in the last half-syllable of a line by modulating down into a bassy growl, not unlike the satisfied sigh of a sated apex predator. With him talking us through it, you could conceivably use the audio of The Dinosaurs as a relaxation tape.
The 40-minute Director's Cut of Chasing Time is officially available to stream for free on YouTube!
In honor of World Day for Glaciers, we invite you to experience Chasing Time the way the creators of the film intended.
This full-length, 40 minute Director's Cut of the film reflects the full artistic visions of co-directors Jeff Orlowski-Yang (The Social Dilemma, Chasing Coral, and Chasing Ice) and Sarah Keo. This is also the version of Chasing Time that made the 2026 Academy Awards Shortlist for Best Documentary Short and has been screened at film festivals worldwide.
Chasing Time follows photographer James Balog and his team as they bring to a close the wide-ranging, ground-based photographic study of glaciers.
Throughout the film, James and his team reflect on the legacy their efforts have left on the world and embrace the truth that combating climate change isn't a sprint but a relay race.
CALL FOR ENTRIES: Wildscreen Panda Awards
& Official Selection 2026
Enter your film into the Wildscreen Panda Awards and Official Selection
We announce that submissions for the 2026 Panda Awards and Official Selection are now open.
Panda Awards
The 2026 Panda Awards competition comprises of 18 categories and 3 special awards including the Golden Panda, Outstanding Achievement Award and Field Craft Recognition.
Brand new for 2026, we’re excited to introduce the brand-new Digital-First Panda Award category, recognising the importance of digital-first storytelling in diversifying the stories of nature being told, the storytellers and the audiences being reached.
You can submit your film for the Panda Awards exclusively via FilmFreeway
Official Selection
The Official Selection is separate from the Panda Awards, and showcases creative and bold stories that spark positive and restorative action for our natural world, acting as a global launchpad for new and diverse voices.
Our Official Selection is split into two categories: short films, where we accept any film under 20 minutes or under including credits, including immersive technologies (VR / AR), and Mid-length & Feature films, where we encourage any submitters who’s work clocks in over the 20 minute mark.
You can submit your film for Official Selection exclusively via FilmFreeway
Submission Deadlines (for both Panda Awards & Official Selection)
Wildstar Foundation
announces that they will be
joining Wildscreen Festival
2026 as Headline Sponsor
Wildstar Foundation has announced that they'll be supporting Wildscreen Festival as Headline Sponsor, cementing its commitment to nurturing and amplifying global voices and talent in natural history filmmaking
It marks a return to Nairobi, from the first edition which launched in 2023. Since then, the Wildscreen Festival African editions have grown into the continent’s most influential gathering of the wildlife film, TV and content industry with the goal of supporting a more equitable, sustainable and inclusive wildlife content genre for Africans both within the continent and globally.
The Festival Programme which will span industry talks, panels, premieres and networking will be curated by with the support of a Festival Advisory Board, comprised of representatives spanning the international wildlife film and TV industry, African filmmakers and conservation organisations.
The Chair of the 2026 edition is award-winning Producer/Director Faith Musembi, whose credits include QUEENS (National Geographic/Disney+), winner of Best Series at Wildscreen 2024, CHASING THE RAINS (Love Nature, Sky Nature, Arte) and is currently Producer/Director on LION, a landmark BBC Studios Natural History Unit series for National Geographic.
Faith Musembi, Chair of Wildscreen Festival Kenya said: “Seeds planted at that first Festival in Kenya in 2023 have since grown into jobs, commissions and meaningful industry collaborations and partnerships. It feels like a full-circle moment for our community, while also driving us to keep investing in and developing our own talent and creative economy within the wildlife genre."
Vanessa Berlowitz, Co-Founder of Wildstar Foundation said: “We were lucky enough to have Faith lend her creativity and authenticity to Wildstar Films’ QUEENS at the beginning of her directing journey and we are proud that she continues to collaborate with us through the Wildstar Foundation today. The Foundation was built on the belief that, in a time of crisis, our planet needs authentic, global storytellers. It’s a belief that is embodied by this Nairobi based Wildscreen festival and we are honoured to support Faith, the event and the community it reaches.
Lucie Muir, CEO of Wildscreen said: "Faith is not only immensely talented filmmaker but she continues to break ground within the wildlife storytelling genre globally both with the stories she tells and the storytellers she nurtures. She's a true visionary who opens doors, widens them and keeps them open for underrepresented and authentic voices to tell and own their own stories. We’re honoured to have her as Chair and so thankful to Wildstar Foundation and all our partners and community for standing alongside us to deliver Wildscreen Festival Kenya as part of our goal to nurture a more equitable natural history industry."
Wildscreen Festival Returns to Kenya for 2026 African Edition
Wildscreen Festival is returning to Nairobi, Kenya, for its fourth African-based edition, scheduled for June 11 and 12.
The first edition of Wildscreen’s African festival took place in Nairobi in 2023. Wildstar Foundation will be supporting the upcoming fourth edition as headline sponsor.
The event will convene over 200 delegates from across Africa and key global players, including filmmakers, production companies, broadcasters, streamers and conservationists, from over 12 countries. The program will span industry talks, panels, premieres and networking events, curated with the support of a festival advisory board.
The University of the West of England (UWE Bristol) is supporting the event as a major sponsor. UWE’s renowned MA Wildlife Filmmaking program is co-designed with producers, directors and production managers from the BBC Studios Natural History Unit, who will also support as sponsors.
The chair of the 2026 edition is award-winning producer and director Faith Musembi (Queens, Chasing the Rains, Lion).
“Seeds planted at that first festival in Kenya in 2023 have since grown into jobs, commissions and meaningful industry collaborations and partnerships,” Musembi said. “It feels like a full-circle moment for our community, while also driving us to keep investing in and developing our own talent and creative economy within the wildlife genre.”
“We were lucky enough to have Faith lend her creativity and authenticity to Wildstar Films’ Queens at the beginning of her directing journey, and we are proud that she continues to collaborate with us through the Wildstar Foundation today,” commented Vanessa Berlowitz, co-founder of Wildstar Foundation. “The foundation was built on the belief that, in a time of crisis, our planet needs authentic, global storytellers. It’s a belief that is embodied by this Nairobi-based Wildscreen Festival, and we are honored to support Faith, the event and the community it reaches.”
Lucie Muir, CEO of Wildscreen, added, “Faith is not only an immensely talented filmmaker but she continues to break ground within the wildlife storytelling genre globally both with the stories she tells and the storytellers she nurtures. She’s a true visionary who opens doors, widens them and keeps them open for underrepresented and authentic voices to tell and own their own stories. We’re honored to have her as Chair and so thankful to Wildstar Foundation and all our partners and community for standing alongside us to deliver Wildscreen Festival Kenya as part of our goal to nurture a more equitable natural history industry.”
That’s a wrap on Science in Storytelling 2026! Featuring a wide range of incredibly talented speakers, including scientists, science communicators, filmmakers, commissioners and more, we embarked on a journey to discover the best ways we can keep science in the spotlight in natural world storytelling. Read on to find out our highlights from the two-day event!
The Power of Immersion
We kicked off Day One of Science in Storytelling 2026 with a deep dive into immersive technologies and how they are reshaping how audiences engage with science, and transforming stories from something we watch into something we experience.
“I think the primary opportunity lies in recognizing that the major difference between traditional formats and immersive formats is that you're taking your audience from being a third person spectator to a first person witness... we are designing an experience that unfolds in real time for the person who's watching.”- Ulrico Grech-Cumbo
Commissioning Science
We looked at where the landscape is now, how it’s changed and what’s coming next. From broadcast to digital, in a world shaped by AI and social media, the rules are shifting fast. From what makes an idea commissionable, to the balance between scientific rigor and compelling storytelling, and the role of talent and funding models in the future.
“There is a genuine skill in being able to take something incredibly complex and - not simplify it to a point where it’s meaningless - but simplify it to a point where you’ve got the absolute essence.”– Jonah Weston
Filmmaking for Policy Change
A powerful talk all about how storytelling can drive real world impact. We heard from the team at Environmental Justice Foundation and the Global Rewilding Alliance about their experience of creating films that connect with policymakers on a very human level, that then lead to conversations and eventually action to help change things for the better.
“Our kind of measure of success would be engaging emotions, making sure that anyone who is in touch with our material, is feeling something and hopefully something positive...and then there’s the element of practicality. Are we empowering people to do something after they have seen whatever communication material we put out?”– Manon Calas
Watch the First Trailer for Disneynature’s ‘Orangutan,’ Premiering on Disney+ on Earth Day
A new trailer and key art for Disneynature’s “Orangutan” are now available ahead of the film’s exclusive Disney+ debut on Earth Day, Tuesday, April 22, 2026.
Narrated by Disney Legend Josh Gad, the trailer introduces Indah, a young and curious adolescent orangutan who is leaving the nest for the first time and stepping into the rainforest canopy on her own. The film is part of Disney and National Geographic’s “Step into Wonder” Earth Month 2026 campaign, which brings a full slate of nature content to Disney+ and Disney parks throughout April.
Disneynature’s “Orangutan” takes viewers into the treetops of a rainforest canopy in Southeast Asia, following a community of orangutans whose personalities are as distinct as their surroundings are breathtaking. At the center of the story is Indah, an inquisitive adolescent orangutan who is preparing to leave her family and make her way in the world for the first time. The film is built around themes of courage, family, and belonging, told through the kind of immersive wildlife filmmaking that has defined the Disneynature brand.
The film is directed by Mark Linfield and co-directed by Vanessa Berlowitz. Both Linfield and Berlowitz serve as producers alongside Roy Conli. Original music for the film is composed by Nitin Sawhney.
The production of “Orangutan” relied heavily on the expertise and field support of the Ketambe Research Center in Sumatra, one of the world’s longest-running orangutan research stations. The center and its teams provided the filmmakers with guidance and on-the-ground support nearly every day while they were filming in the field. That partnership gave the production access to knowledge and access that would have been impossible to replicate otherwise.
The film features exhilarating action sequences, close-up wildlife encounters, and an extensive look at the biodiversity of the jungle surrounding the orangutans’ canopy home. It is the latest in a line of Disneynature films that bring animal stories to life with both cinematic craft and scientific grounding.
My Garden of a Thousand Bees review – a joyous film on the unbearable lightness of bee-ing
This gasp-inducing documentary shows a man buzzing over the remarkable insects that bumble around his garden … and ended up changing his life
Martin Dohrn likes bees. Big bees, small bees, angry bees, randy bees, bees with voluminous ruffs and calves like tiny Henry VIIIs – rare is the bee that Dohrn doesn’t deem worthy of … what, exactly? Appreciation? Or something more profound?
“It’s hard to explain,” says the veteran wildlife photographer, peering at us through his red-framed glasses while perched at his gadget-strewn kitchen table. “But I really feel for bees. They’re really … I mean, I could say they’re my friends.”
And why not? If My Garden of a Thousand Bees has a theme (other than “bees”), it’s that companionship can thrive in the least likely places. The least likely place in this instance being a small patch of urban Bristol, where the spring and summer of 2020 found Dohrn directing his expertly modified bumble-cams at the 60+ species of bee that frequented his back garden. We meet the wool carder bee, with its bald back and ferocious aerial combat skills; the ashy mining bee, with its exhausted waddle and washed-out pelt, like a bumblebee that’s spent the last four decades grumbling about the ex-missus on a bench outside Ladbrokes; and the red-tailed mason bee, which builds its nest in an empty snail shell before topping it with a hipsterish dried-grass wigwam. I imagine a lightly pyjama’ed Kevin McCloud, watching at home, permitting himself a nod of admiration.
They’re all here, bumbling through the hazy Bristol sunshine while Dohrn, face scrunched up as he watches through his state-of-the-art magnifying lens, says things like “wow”, “yes” and “oh man, will you look at that!”.
Bees live in “a completely different dimension”, he says. Et voilà, a “time-stretching” approach to film-making that results in gasp-inducing detail and a soundtrack pitched somewhere between a bustling heliport and a distant conversation between drunken lawnmowers.
There is something pleasantly bee-like about Dohrn’s award-winning film, too. A leisurely thing, it drifts woozily around the photographer’s garden, picking up facts here and there and storing them like pollen in little pouches on the backs of its thighs. Not too many facts, mind. This is no place for statistics or percentages. The photographer’s narrative bag is an altogether looser affair, with as many shrugs and ellipses as there are firm specifics on, say, the climate crisis: “All over the world, bees are declining” is all we get on the doom-boffin front. Consequently, Dohrn – an affable, wistful sort who wears a range of crumpled action-shorts and calls us “mate” – often appears as awestruck and bewildered by his hairy quarry as we do.
Enter an industrious leafcutter bee called Nicky. Dohrn is smitten.He leans towards her nest, nose filling the screen like a nostrilly Jupiter.They bond. “I could tell she was looking at me. Does she know these are my eyes?” he asks, pointing at his eyes. “Scientists have shown that honeybees can recognise individual people, so why wouldn’t she?”
Studio BlueGreen is bringing an animated family feature film to screens in 2027 called On The Edge.
The film is directed by Octavio Rodriguez - whose credits include “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” and “Coco” - quite a swing!
And the cast? Absolutely stacked with stars to voice the characters you’ll see on screen.
On The Edge follows a motley crew of endangered animals, led by Donnie, a Cuban solenodon with a nose for adventure, on a worldwide quest in search of survival, freedom, and as many free snacks as they can eat.
Donnie and friends refuse to go extinct quietly, setting out on an epic quest to crash the world tour of Peng – the superstar panda and hero of Pandaland – to discover how fame and “huggability” kept him alive.
Along the way, Donnie haphazardly recruits, amongst others: Vy, a sassy, loyal, and fiercely independent Aye-Aye; Kiki, a flightless Kakapo parrot and powerhouse of kindness and optimism; and Roman, an overly dramatic Greater Funnel-eared Bat.
It’s funny. It’s heartfelt. And it’s bringing endangered species to centre stage like never before.
"A flying block of ice the size of a truck nearly knocked our helicopter out of the air” – A stark reminder of the colossal power of nature – Jamie McPherson
A sober reminder never to underestimate the power of nature.
The Store Glacier in Western Greenland is one of the fastest moving glaciers in the world. When I say fast, I mean fast for a glacier. Store can move up to 20m per day.
Back in 2016, I visited Store as part of a documentary crew hoping film a dramatic calving event - when enormous chunks of ice break away from a glacier, creating icebergs.
I was working with Director Adam Chapman as the aerial film crew, and we were on our way to meet the rest of the team, who had already set up camp by the glacier. But when we landed in Kangerlussuaq, our helicopter was nowhere to be seen. In fact, it wasn’t even in Greenland; it was stuck in bad weather on Baffin Island, hundreds of kilometres away.
It was July, the height of summer, when the glacier is at its fastest, and therefore most likely to calve. Calving events occur, on average, every 3-4 weeks. Every day we spent at the airport risked us missing the only event that would happen during our shoot.
Who is Mya-Rose Craig aka Birdgirl? All you need to know about the ornithologist and activist.
Who is Mya-Rose Craig, aka ‘Birdgirl’, and what is she known for?
Mya-Rose Craig (aka Birdgirl) is a British-Bangladeshi ornithologist, activist and author. She set up a blog about birds aged 11 and became the youngest person to see half of the world’s bird species when she was 17.
She founded Black2Nature, an organisation which aims to get more visible minority ethnic young people, families and communities to engage with nature and learn about environmental issues. Mya-Rose also regularly features on the Get Birding podcast.
“Astonishing behaviour.” Filmmakers left a robot orangutan in the Borneo rainforest. The footage helped solve a mystery that puzzled scientists
Wild orangutans in the Borneo rainforest have been observed washing themselves with soap – but researchers weren't sure why
The intelligence of chimpanzees has been frequently studied, such as their ability to use tools, medicines and even ‘toilet paper’. However, while orangutans have been subject to less scrutiny, they perform just as well as chimps in cognitive ability tests.
So to learn more about these incredible animals, a team of researchers and filmmakers teamed up for the BBC TV series Spy in the Wild to film a group of them using spy cameras in the Borneo rainforest.
In the footage, an orangutan mother crosses a river to reach an old research post to obtain a bar of soap left behind by humans. Then, she shares it with a friend.
The Earthshot Prize Summit and Awards 2026 will be held in Mumbai, India this November!
Home to more Finalists than any other country, India is a place where climate solutions are not just imagined but proven at scale in everyday life.
It is exactly this spirit which brings us to Mumbai for our sixth Awards, where five new Winners will each receive £1 million to help amplify their impact.
“Mumbai is a city defined by pace, ingenuity and possibility.”
- HRH Prince William
ZDF Studios Boards “Cheetah Fast & Wild” for Global Distribution
Wildlife documentary spotlighting groundbreaking cheetah conservation secures worldwide sales rights ahead of international rollout.
ZDF Studios has secured the worldwide distribution rights, excluding Canada, for the wildlife documentary “Cheetah Fast & Wild.” The one-hour film, produced by Fast Cat Films for CBC with the support of the Canada Media Fund, presents a rare conservation success story: for the first time, captive-reared cheetahs are being trained to become wild hunters and reintroduced into natural ecosystems.
Nikolas Hülbusch, Director Unscripted at ZDF Studios, said: “‘Cheetah Fast & Wild’ is a powerful example of how innovative conservation can drive real change. We are delighted to bring this inspiring and visually stunning documentary to international audiences.”
Joe Kennedy, director and cinematographer at Fast Cat Films, added:“This film tells a story many believed was impossible. Watching these cheetahs learn to survive in the wild is deeply moving and offers real hope for the future of the species.”.
The documentary follows two orphaned cheetah sisters, Lilly and Iris, as they attempt to transition from captivity to life in the wild within a South African wildlife reserve. Orphaned at just three months old after their mother was killed by lions, the sisters spent 19 months in captivity before being given the opportunity to return to the wild through a pioneering “wilding” programme developed by Ashia Cheetah Conservation. Established only a few years ago, Ashia has challenged conventional thinking with its innovative approach to training captive-raised cheetahs for survival in natural habitats.
The film addresses a long-standing scientific consensus that captive-raised cheetahs cannot learn to hunt due to their lack of early-life exposure to the wild and maternal teaching. Without learning how to stalk and chase prey, experts have argued that such cheetahs would be unlikely to survive if released.
‘Sentient’ review: Powerful, challenging exploration of biomedical animal testing
Tony Jones’ hot-button film plays Thessaloniki Documentary Film Festival after a Sundance premiere
Sentient is a title that cuts both ways in the directorial debut from veteran Australian journalist Tony Jones, which takes an emotionally powerful but nuanced and discursive approach to the world of biomedical animal testing. While being “capable of sensing or feeling” may initially seem to be a reference to the primates that are the chief focus of the film, it soon becomes apparent that the ability of scientists and lab workers to feel what the animals are going through, and the lasting impact that has on them, is just as vital a part of this debate.
The documentary premiered at Sundance and takes its European bow at Thessaloniki Documentary Film Festival in the Newcomers Competition. Jones’s rigorous approach to the subject – including shocking undercover footage from private laboratories – means this is often a difficult watch, but the empathy towards the primates and their handlers shines through. Like 2013 Bafta-nominated captive killer whale documentary Blackfish, it lays out a complex and thorough argument that is likely to fuel debate, and could well secure further festival play and specialist distribution.
At the heart of Sentient is Dr Lisa Jones-Engel, an expert primate scientist who began working with the animals when she was a teenager and went on to forge a scientific career of lab and field work that involved testing drugs on chimpanzees and macaque monkeys. Now, however, she says she feels “profound shame” about that work, and believes we should end animal testing. Jones films Jones-Engel as she watches footage of herself, first as a surrogate mother to young chimps at the start of her career and then, with her medical doctor husband and daughters as helpmates, on trap and release research overseas. Her physical emotional reactions say just as much about the lasting impact of her career on her psychology as her verbal observations.
For decades, McDonald’s has pushed single-use packaging—backed by big marketing, lobbying, and misleading narratives—while sidestepping responsibility. McPlaybook uncovers how those same tactics are still showing up today.
Exciting news from Viva! - Hogwood Farm is FINALLY closing.
Planning documents reveal that Hogwood’s intensive pig operation will shut down for good in September 2026, with the farm’s own planning statement explicitly citing Viva!’s investigations and relentless public pressure as a core reason the business became unviable.
The owner tried to sell to three major industry suppliers, including Cranswick. None of them would touch it. And with that, the countdown to the closure begins.
A provocative campaign by Project Slingshot has launched on the London Underground in the UK, aiming to bring to light the secretive practice of slaughtering pigs in gas chambers.
Supported by comedians Diane Morgan, Jen Brister and Shabaz Ali, TV’s Dr Amir Khan, and TV personality and athlete Mathew Pritchard, the ads challenge the industry’s claims that CO2 gassing qualifies as “humane slaughter”
In England and Wales, 90% of pigs are slaughtered inside CO2 gas chambers, which according to a 2025 report by a government advisory body, causes severe pain, fear, anxiety, and respiratory distress.
More than 750 ads will appear in 206 London Underground stations, and there are 2,200 more inside tube carriages, for two months from today. The stations include Euston, Charing Cross, Liverpool Street, Embankment, and Kings Cross St Pancras.
A Decade After Its Release, ‘How Not to Die’ Finds a New Life on Screen
The 2015 bestseller ‘How Not to Die’ by Michael Greger, MD becomes a free documentary, translating nutrition science into a consumer-facing film about diet and disease prevention.
If you read 2015’s bestselling book How Not to Dieby Michael Greger, MD, FACLM and Gene Stone, you already know the premise that made it a cultural lightning rod: for most people, the greatest threat to long-term health is not genetics or bad luck, but what ends up on the plate day after day.
Now, on its 10-year anniversary, the book moves from page to screen in How Not to Die, a new documentary streaming free on UnchainedTV, translating Greger’s data-heavy arguments into something far more immediate and visual.
From bestseller to screen
The film stays tightly aligned with the book’s core argument, examining how the standard Western diet contributes to the most common chronic diseases in the US and other industrialized countries. Heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, kidney disease, liver dysfunction, and neurodegenerative conditions, including dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, are all addressed through peer-reviewed research and clinical experience. The documentary also explores links between diet and colon, prostate, and other digestive cancers, grounding each claim in nutritional science rather than wellness folklore.
Jane Velez-Mitchell, president of UnchainedTV, a non-profit streaming platform, framed the film’s purpose in direct terms: “The crucial information in this powerful, meticulously researched documentary can help people avoid preventable lifestyle diseases and improve their chances of living a long and healthy life,” she said in a statement. “What could be more important than that?”
AI & ANIMALS | Will the AI Revolution Save or Destroy Billions of Animals?
As the world debates how Artificial Intelligence will affect human jobs, security, and even our survival, a far bigger and largely ignored question remains:
What will AI mean for animals?
In AI & ANIMALS, a groundbreaking new documentary by @AnimalEthics, leading thinkers explore how AI could either become the ultimate tool for animal exploitation — or one of the most powerful forces ever created to reduce animal suffering.
Featuring insights from world-renowned ethicists including Peter Singer (Princeton University), Jonathan Birch (London School of Economics), and Jeff Sebo (New York University), the film argues that we are in a narrow and rapidly closing window of opportunity.
The decisions made in the next few years may shape the fate of trillions of sentient beings.
Seantience | A Documentary about the sentience of aquatic animals
Seantience is a short documentary, produced by Animal Ethics and directed by Xiana Castro, exploring the sentience of aquatic animals, including invertebrates.
Awarded Best Cinematography at FICAA and selected for the SUNCINE International Environmental Film Festival.
This documentary is part of an international campaign to raise awareness about some of the most neglected and exploited animals on the planet.
Pablo Behrens is a London-based film director and producer.
His latest film ¨London´s Last Wilderness¨ is about the ecology of a fantastic region close to London.
London’s Last Wilderness is the visual experience of an explorer landing on an undiscovered planet.
Every shot in the film was captured using truthful documentary techniques—no retakes, no setups. What you see happened once, and only once.
Like the first Europeans in the Amazon or astronauts orbiting the moon, there was no time for rehearsals or scripted reflections. The camera moved with the explorer—fast, focused, in the moment.
A mere 30 miles crow's flight from Piccadilly Circus lies a place London largely ignores: the Greater Thames Estuary. It's an ecological and cosmological force hiding in plain sight.
One of its secrets is scale. The estuary rivals London in size. To truly cover it, you need years — exploring north and south banks. From land, sea and sky.
Beyond the coast lies a maze of creeks and shifting islands, shaped by rivers and tides that change everything, twice a day. Half the terrain vanishes and reappears with the North Sea. No two days are the same. No tide repeats.
To be honest with this place, you have to film it all. Across four seasons, in all weather, under every tidal condition. Nothing could be skipped. Nothing faked.
The film has no presenters. This is not exactly a human story.
Lazarus Training – First aid, medical & safety training based in Essex & London.
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First Aid on Remote Locations is designed for production teams working away from the office or studio. Whether filming or recording, this course is aimed at groups who will experience a delay in accessing medical care for a colleague injured or taken ill.
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Filming overseas?
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When you’re out of range of immediate medical support, knowing how to respond in the first minutes after an injury can save lives — and save your production.
Lazarus Training’s First Aid in Remote Locations course is explicitly designed for media production companies operating in areas with limited access to hospitals or rescue services.
This isn’t generic first aid — it’s tailored by professionals, for professionals who face real risk in remote environments.
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Membership fees help to keep the site going too ... Your support is much-needed! Hoping to relaunch the site this year ... Updated for the new decade ... Will be looking for help from all over the world!!
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