Jackson Wild Media Awards 2021

A Perfect Planet

Huw Cordey

<p>Narrated by Sir David Attenbourgh and from the award-winning team behind the original Planet Earth and The Hunt, A Perfect Planet explains how the living planet operates, showing how the forces of nature--weather, ocean currents, solar energy and volcanoes--drive, shape, and support Earth&rsquo;s great diversity of life. In doing so, it reveals how animals are perfectly adapted to whatever the environment throws at them.</p>

After Antarctica

Tasha Van Zandt

<p>In a dramatic attempt to bring attention to climate change, an international expedition led by renowned explorer Will Steger embarked on the first-ever coast-to-coast expedition across Antarctica in 1989. Six men and their sled dogs braved howling storms, sub-zero temperatures, snow crevasses, and other perils as they traversed the icy terrain. Tasha Van Zandt&rsquo;s enthralling feature debut catches up with Steger 30 years later as he revisits the frigid continent, deftly weaving his contemporary journey with rare, dynamic footage of his original, treacherous seven-month odyssey.</p>

Po Požárech (After The Wildfires)

Cian O'clery

<p>&quot;After the Wildfires&quot; is a 2020 Australian documentary directed by Cian O&#39;Clery. The film explores the aftermath of Australia&#39;s catastrophic bushfires, focusing on the recovery and resilience of wildlife and ecosystems. It delves into the efforts of scientists, conservationists, and local communities as they work to restore habitats and protect endangered species affected by the fires.</p>

An Eye for Detail

Matthew Harmer

<p>22 year old Alfie Bowen is an up and coming wildlife photographer whose work is starting to take the world by storm, and his fans include the likes of Chris Packham and Richard Branson. But his life wasn&rsquo;t always this promising. Having been diagnosed with autism at age 11, he was bullied constantly at school, and at university, which resulted in suicide attempts and psychosis. What kept him going throughout all of this was his love for animals, and finding an outlet for this passion through photography. An Eye For Detail explores how nature and art can become not only an outlet for those living with disabilities, but a therapy for people struggling from mental illness.</p>

Antartica

Fredi Devas

<p>Antarctica is the most extreme continent on our planet; higher, colder, and even drier than any other on Earth, and although it is thousands of miles away, what happens here affects every single one of us.</p>

Bayou City (2020)

Olivia Haun

<p>Bayou City is a short film produced by Olivia Haun (Schmidt), the 2018 Wild Texas Film Tour Grant Recipient and Outreach Specialist for the TPWD Wildlife Diversity Program. Over the past two years, Olivia has been traveling to Houston to capture stories from some of Houston&rsquo;s most passionate and dedicated bayou conservationists. She hopes to shed light on the issues the bayou ecosystem have faced over the past century, and to share the successes that provide an alternative vision and relationship between Houston and its bayous.</p>

Beyond The Boma

Geoff Luck Whitney Beer-Kerr

<p>In northern Kenya, a group of Samburu women joins forces to protect an endangered zebra species. Through this process, they also discover new ways to support each other, their daughters, and even the livestock everyone here depends on for survival.</p>

Big Bend: The Wild Frontier of Texas

Jamie Fitzpatrick John Murray

<p>Roam the Wild West frontier land of the Rio Grande&#39;s Big Bend alongside its iconic animals, including black bears, rattlesnakes and scorpions.</p>

Born Pregnant: Aphids Invade with an Onslaught of Clones | Deep Look

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<p>Female aphids are the matriarchs of a successful family operation &mdash; taking over your garden. But don&rsquo;t lose hope; these pests have some serious predators and creepy parasites looking to take them down.</p>

Breaking Boundaries: The Science of Our Planet

Jonathan Clay

<p>David Attenborough and scientist Johan Rockstr&ouml;m examine Earth&#39;s biodiversity collapse and how this crisis can still be averted.</p>

Breakthrough: The Slime Minder

Katie Garrett

<p>If you&rsquo;re aiming to glean insights on how animals retain and use knowledge, you might think staring at a pulsating yellow splat on a dead log isn&rsquo;t very productive. These are slime molds, often avoided amorphous, brainless blobs. The single-celled organisms that ooze around forest detritus lack a nervous system&mdash;and don&rsquo;t even have a centralized brain!</p>

Coextinction

Elena Jean Gloria Pancrazi

<p>In the Canadian documentary&nbsp;Coextinction, two passionate filmmakers investigate the fate of the endangered killer whale. This brings them into contact with activists, Indigenous leaders and renowned scientists on a journey of discovery that soon reveals many other dangers in the local ecosystem.</p>

Critter Fixers: Barnyard Frenemies

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<p>Dr. Hodges and Dr. Ferguson own and operate Critter Fixer Veterinary Hospital. From the clinic to the farm, the Critter Fixer team is on the scene.</p>

David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet

Alastair Fothergill Jonathan Hughes Keith Scholey

<p>In this documentary David Attenborough, the celebrated naturalist, reflects upon both the defining moments of his lifetime and the devastating changes he has seen. The film provides a snapshot of global nature loss in a single lifetime.</p>

David Attenborough's Life in Colour: Hiding in Colour

Adam Geiger Nick Green

<p>In this second episode, David explores how animals use colour to hide, and disappear into the background when they need to camouflage. Along the way, he looks at Bengal tigers in the Indian sub-continent, and at how zebras confuse potential predators in Masai Mara.</p>

David Attenborough's Life in Colour: Seeing In Colour

Adam Geiger Sally Thomson

<p>In this first episode, David explores how animals use colour in the wild for survival and attracting a mate - and even for warning off predators. Along the way, he gets up close to peacocks in India, and mandrill baboons in the rain forest.</p>

Day Zero

Virginia Quinn Kevin Sim

<p>A compelling global documentary that tracks the escalating water crisis across continent, from Cape Town&rsquo;s drought to Amazon deforestation and Midwestern agricultural depletion, as narrated by Chiwetel Ejiofor. Shot over three years, it spotlights communities, science experts, and activists racing against time to safeguard our planet&rsquo;s most vital resource</p>

Earth at Night in Color: Puma Mountain

Joe Stevens

<p>A young puma coming of age in the Patagonian mountains must learn to survive on her own after her mother leaves to start a new family.</p>

Fathom

Drew Xanthopoulos

<p>The world&#39;s most dedicated whale researchers, exploring both their groundbreaking work and how a life at sea has shaped them.</p>

From Devil's Breath

Orlando von Einsiedel

<p>Following the devastating 2017 wildfires in Pedr&oacute;g&atilde;o Grande, Portugal, this documentary weaves together the stories of two remarkable survivors&mdash;Nadia Pi&aacute;zza, who lost her son, and V&iacute;tor Neves, severely injured&mdash;alongside groundbreaking scientific efforts to develop restoration strategies that could protect communities from future catastrophe</p>

Fukushima Monologue

Naoko Fujimura

<p>After the accident at TEPCO&#39;s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in March 2011, Naoto MATSUMURA stayed alone in his hometown, from which all the residents had been evacuated, and continued to take care of the animals left behind. Ten years after the disaster, the town is once again undergoing a violent transformation, this time in the name of &ldquo;reconstruction&rdquo;, while MATSUMURA is still trying to regain the precious way of life he lost.</p>

​Greens For Good

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<p>Greens for Good is a short documentary spotlighting the hydroponic farming initiative by Greens Do Good in Hackensack, New Jersey. This social enterprise integrates sustainable agriculture with social impact, providing job training and employment opportunities for individuals with autism. Through vertical farming, the organization addresses food insecurity while creating inclusive workspaces. The film follows the daily operations of the farm, interweaving stories of the individuals it supports and the produce it grows for local communities.</p>

Guardians of the River (2020)

Shane Anderson

<p>In this film by American Rivers and Swiftwater Films, Indigenous leaders share why removing four dams to restore a healthy Klamath River is critical for clean water, food sovereignty and justice.</p>

It's Bean Too Hot

Hedvika Michnová

<p>It&rsquo;s Bean Too Hot tells the story of farmers whose livelihoods are at stake as they need to quickly adapt to the changing conditions, and the heroes out there fighting for the future of coffee every day. This film shows the effect of climate change through the eyes of those who are feeling it the most. Coffee farmers that have had to struggle with the drastic effect of the changing weather affecting their production completely. But not all is lost! There are solutions that farmers can adapt to change their way of farming and save coffee for the future. By adopting sustainable practices, these solutions not only save your cup of coffee but also protect the environment in return.</p>

Izembek

Gerrit Vyn

<p>For half a century, Izembek National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska has been recognized for the ecological value of its unique wetlands and their importance to migratory birds. It is a spectacular habitat of bears, salmon, and walrus, containing both volcanoes and glaciers. Yet there has been pressure for nearly four decades to build a road through Izembek&rsquo;s federally designated wilderness.</p>

Sklonit Se K Zemi (Kiss The Ground)

Joshua Tickell Rebecca Harrell Tickell

<p>Kiss the Ground reveals that, by regenerating the world&rsquo;s soils, we can completely and rapidly stabilize Earth&rsquo;s climate, restore lost ecosystems and create abundant food supplies. Using compelling graphics and visuals, along with striking NASA and NOAA footage, the film artfully illustrates how, by drawing down atmospheric carbon, soil is the missing piece of the climate puzzle.</p>

Lions, Bones, and Bullets

Anton Leach

<p>A British author uncovers an elaborate, international wildlife con with an annual turnover of nearly 100 million U.S. dollars.</p>

Looking For Life on Mars

Terri Randall

<p>Follow along as NASA launches the Mars 2020 mission, perhaps the most ambitious hunt yet for signs of ancient life on Mars.</p>

Magali (2020)

Nick Werber

<p>Magali Salinas has dedicated 15 years of her life to rescuing, rehabilitating and releasing wild animals in the Peruvian Amazon rainforest. She talks about her life and the struggles she faces in her work.</p>

Memorias del Futuro (Memories of the Future)

Rodrigo Reyes

<p>A woman writes increasingly passionate love letters without answer. Her passion and frustration are interwoven with a sense of impending doom, a vision of the coming Mexican apocalypse. A single personal tragedy mirrors the struggle of an entire country trying, in the midst of increasing chaos, to find itself. Shot during months on the backroads of Mexico, director Rodrigo Reyes has crafted an idiosyncratic and visceral x-ray of his homeland.</p>

Mother of the Sea

Nicolas Brown

<p>This short film tells the legend of The Mother of the Sea - a tale that virtually every Inuit from Greenland to the Canadian Arctic knows in some form or another. This is a &quot;living story&quot;, it&#39;s not about the past; this story is taking place right now. Updated with plastic trash and climate change, telling this tale does more than scare children away from the dangerous ice-- it warns us all about the perils of disrespecting Mother Nature.</p>

Murder at Sea

Mark Benjamin

<p>A true crime meets ocean environment, this films opens with a multiple murder mystery. Exposing the greater threat, a global fish war, a fish food supply in jeopardy, and increased refugees, this film follows the murder investigations of observers whose role on fishing vessels is to monitor the fish being harvested from the sea. With so many unchecked industrial fishing operations worldwide, and especially in Western Central Pacific, this terrifying expos&eacute; will change the way we think of the fish we eat.</p>

Le Retour Des Prédateurs - Mozambique, Le Parc National De Gorongosa (Nature’s Fear Factor)

David Murdock

<p>For animals in Mozambique&rsquo;s Gorongosa National Park, the normal balance of competition and predation was upended when a war wiped out the top predators. The remaining animals didn&rsquo;t simply grow in numbers&mdash;they began behaving in unusual ways, veering outside their typical territories and feeding patterns. Could it be that it&rsquo;s not just predators&rsquo; kills that keep other populations in check, but also the fear they inspire? NOVA joins a team of scientists as they reintroduce wild dogs to Gorongosa to find out if restoring the park&rsquo;s &ldquo;landscape of fear&rdquo; can restore balance to an entire ecosystem.</p>

Playing with Sharks

Sally Aitken

<p>Valerie Taylor is a shark fanatic and an Australian icon &ndash; a marine maverick who forged her way as a fearless diver, cinematographer and conservationist. She filmed the real sharks for JAWS and famously wore a chainmail suit, using herself as shark bait, changing our scientific understanding of sharks forever.</p>

Save Ralph

Spencer Susser

<p>Ralph, a bunny being interviewed for a documentary, goes through his daily routine as a &quot;tester&quot; in a lab.</p>

Seabird

Conor Ferris

<p>Since he was a boy, Adam Nicolson has been visiting remote islands that once filled with seabirds. After witnessing the decline of these colonies, he shares his perspective on the resilience of life in the face of catastrophe.</p>

Searching for Language in Dolphins

Denise Herzing

<p>Marine biologist Dr. Denise Herzing leads over three decades of in-water research with a community of Atlantic spotted dolphins in the Bahamas. Using non-invasive methods, video and hydrophone arrays, and AI-driven analysis, she investigates dolphin vocal patterns&mdash;signature whistles, burst pulses, and echolocation&mdash;to decipher structural elements of their communication and strive toward two-way interaction using an underwater interface called CHAT.</p>

Secrets of the Whales Episode 1: Orca Dynasty

Brian Armstrong Andy Mitchell

<p>Orcas across the globe use unique strategies to stay on top of the food chain. Patagonia&#39;s whales catch sea lions off the beach, New Zealand&#39;s orcas root out hidden stingrays, and Norway&#39;s sea giants master the tail slap. Witness five powerful orca matriarchs pass down their family hunting traditions to the next generation, preserving their way of life before the customs are lost forever.</p>

Shaba (2021)

Ami Vitale

<p>After losing her mother to poachers, an unruly elephant named Shaba is rescued to the mountains of northern Kenya to be rehabilitated back to the wild. While finally, now, fully recovered and free, her journey begins with the unexpected good fortune in the form of true love, everlasting health and protection, and neverending financial provision. What will Shaba create with this new path life has suddenly unfolded before her?</p>

Snow Leopard and Friends

Zhinong Xi

<p>As the top predator on the snowy plateau, the snow leopard&#39;s survival is not easy. The harsh environment, competition for mating, and difficulty in reproduction...these most realistic scenes are all recorded one by one.</p>

Soul of the Ocean

Howard Hall

<p>The undersea world has often been depicted as a dangerous place filled with lethal predators. A world where sharks are mindless eating machines. A world where the only relationship between species is that big fish eat little fish. Of course, stories of sensational danger and violent predation are seductive to wildlife film audiences. But is that what the ocean is really like?</p>

Stories Of You And I

Lara Tomov

<p>Stories of You and I is a short film directed by Lara Tomov, produced under her hybrid production company, Stories for Action. The film explores themes of community, environmental well-being, and the power of storytelling to bridge divides and inspire action.</p>

Tadpoles: The Big Little Migration

Maxwell Hohn

<p>It is a unique mini documentary and a world first. The film documents the incredible daily migration of the western toad tadpoles, a designated threatened species.</p>

The Arctic: Our Last Great Wilderness

Florian Schulz Myles Connolly

<p>Imagine a place that is vast, wild and untouched, where some of the world&#39;s greatest wildlife spectacles unfold. The Arctic National Wildlife refuge, situated in the northeastern corner of Alaska, is the wildest place left in North America. A symbol of wilderness for the world. No one has truly ever seen it. &quot;The Arctic: Our Last Great Wilderness&quot; will feature the first-ever cinematic account of this little known land where people can experience a world untouched by time.</p>

The Bastard King

Owen Pruemm

<p>The Bastard King chronicles the life of a lion from cub to King - battling against an unimaginable enemy that is ravaging a world where blood is becoming easier to find than water. This unique story challenges traditional storytelling - serving as an allegory for endangered species - and our very own fate.</p>

The Caretakers

Tom Hanner

<p>&ldquo;The Caretakers&rdquo; is a journey into the weird, wonderful and truly astonishing lives of the small yet mighty creatures who keep the world turning &ndash; beetles. They have been successful for millions of years, but they&rsquo;re in serious trouble; what does the future hold for these incredibly important animals, and for us if they disappear?</p>

The Fish & The Flame

David Hutchinson

<p>This film documents Jim White, an aquatic biologist for Colorado Parks and Wildlife, and his collaboration with a reclusive ranch manager, Tim Haarmann, to save an obscure fish from muddy asphyxiation and genetic roadblock (imagine the Habsburgs, but with gills). We answer such pressing questions as: how do you rescue fish from a burn area? Once rescued, what happens next? This is a story about a passionate biologist risking his neck for a species most people have never heard of. It&rsquo;s also a light-hearted look at watersheds, and how both public agencies and private landowners can work together to protect landscapes from the cascading effects of development and climate change.</p>

The Last Horns of Africa

De Bruno Austin Garth

<p>The Last Horns Of Africa&#39; follows the journeys of two conservation heroes who put their lives on the line to protect the rhino in their care, while a top-secret operation endeavors to bring down South Africa&#39;s rhino poaching syndicates.</p>

The Witness is a Whale

Nick Dean Cheryl Dean

<p>Recently uncovered Soviet whaling reports reveal a startling truth: that whales once roamed the oceans in vastly greater numbers than has ever been estimated. This discovery has massive repercussions both for recent history and for the attempts to save these extraordinary mammals.</p>

The Year Earth Change

Tom Beard

<p>A fresh new approach to the global lockdown and the uplifting stories that have come out of it. People all over the world have had the chance to engage with nature like never before.</p>

Tiny World

Alex Ranken Sam Hume Ed Watkins Lucy Wells

<p>A look at the world through the eyes of the tiniest creatures and witness the extraordinary things they do to survive.</p>

Tiny World - Jungle

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<p>There are countless tiny animals living in a giant jungle tree. We can see how they cope when their world comes crashing down.</p>

Tiny World - Outback

Lucy Wells

<p>Australia&#39;s gum-tree forests are full of fantastical little creatures but it&#39;s only a matter of time before their homes go up in flames.</p>

Tiny World: Reef

Sophie Morgan

<p>Explore an underwater world of incredible creatures as the tiny residents of a coral reef prepare for the most important night of the year.</p>

Tiny World: Woodland

Ed Watkins

<p>A chipmunk hustles to make it through a year in the forest, while a host of other incredible tiny animals seize every opportunity.</p>

Voices of Earth

Aner Etxebarria Pablo Vidal

<p>In remote corners of the planet, eleven individuals maintain ancestral pacts with wild ecosystems threatened by modern civilization. Voices of Earth explores the harmonious coexistence among humans, animals, and plants&mdash;where preservation of species and cultures, sustainable resource use, and ecosystem protection are intertwined.</p>

Wake & Smell The Flowers

Yaz Ellis

<p>After six months of hibernation, the adorable European Ground Squirrels are finally waking up - and they are hungry! Witness their spectacular flower feast and follow them as they have something very important to prepare for.</p>

Water Logged

Clinton Edmondson

<p>The fellowship of the dig doubles down on their efforts in the swamp and discover that it might hold the key to solving the entire Oak Island mystery as Fred Nolan predicted.</p>

Wildlife Killing Contests

Filipe DeAndrade

<p>WILDLIFE KILLING CONTESTS is a documentary film exposing the inhumane practice of predator competitions taking place throughout the United States. Predator competitions are point-based contests where the goal is to kill as many predator species as possible in a set amount of time, resulting in money and prizes. Wolves, pumas, bobcats, foxes, and coyotes are the most targeted animals, often hunted without a plan for harvest and discarded in a pit to be burned. Through the documentary film, an impact campaign, written articles, and a call to action, WILDLIFE KILLING CONTESTS provides viewers with direction and actionable steps to help end inhumane predator competitions.</p>

Youth V Gov (2020)

Christi Cooper

<p>Directed by filmmaker and scientist Christi Cooper, YOUTH v. GOV is the story of America&#39;s youth taking on the world&#39;s most powerful government. In 2015, twenty one young plaintiffs, ages 8 to 19, filed the lawsuit Juliana vs. United States, asserting a willful violation of their constitutional rights in creating our climate crisis. If they&#39;re successful, they&#39;ll not only make history, they&#39;ll change the future.</p>