International Wildlife Film Festival 2024

A Buffalo Story (2024)

Colin Ruggiero

As buffalo return to the North American landscapes they once defined, the important ecological and cultural impacts of that restoration have begun to manifest. A BUFFALO STORY follows the work of Jason Baldes, the Tribal Buffalo Manager for buffalo restoration on the Wind River Reservation, whose efforts to help people believe in buffalo again require him to confront his own trauma. Providing vital historical context and revealing the intricate and spectacular grassland ecosystems in buffalo country, A BUFFALO STORY examines the forces and mindsets that undermined that ancient relationship in the first place and how buffalo ecosystems can be reimagined today. This stunning film, and the keystone species at at the heart of it, provide important lessons and blueprints for a healthier human relationships with wild animals and places.

A Call from the Wild (2024)

Asgeir Helgestad

Filmmaker Asgeir Helgestad documents the state of nature at his home country Norway, where he has photographed all his life. From the lives of bees at his farm, to wild reindeer on the high mountains, and puffins at the ocean's edge, he shows the beauty of threatened nature and tracks down human actions responsible for its decline. This is a personal story on our connection with the non-human world, the relations between the small and the big, and a reminder of nature's strength and vulnerability.

A Note for Nature (2022)

Cepa Giblin

A Note for Nature is a celebration of wild Ireland and a call to arms. Over an hour we meet some remarkable people dedicating their lives to protect Ireland's disappearing nature. And through music from the RTÉ Concert Orchestra and stunning location performances from stellar musicians, we feature some of Ireland's most fragile wild places and the beleaguered animals that, somehow, manage to survive there.

Among The Wolves

Tanguy Dumortier Olivier Larrey

Sharing an entire year in the life of a pack of wild wolves... a dream for Yves the painter and Olivier the photographer. Somewhere in the no-man's-land between Finland and Russia, they'll be waiting for the pack, in a hut just a few meters square. Throughout the four seasons, motionless and silent in the midst of an unchanging scenery, they gradually become part of the "picture" and immerse themselves in the life of the wolves.

Arctic: Our Frozen Planet (2023)

Rachel Scott

At the very top of the globe, lies a spectacular, frozen realm. But don't be fooled by appearances…this place is not frozen in time. It's a dynamic ecosystem and for thousands of years, its indigenous people and wildlife have found ways to survive and live in harmony with these extremes.Embark on a yearlong adventure across the seasons and three continents. Be immersed in the astounding world of narwhals, belugas and polar bears as they navigate ice floes. Hear the thunderous sound of stampeding caribou and muskox trying to escape hungry wolves. Be amazed by hooded seals that blow up red balloons and ice-covered bumblebees that emerge glorious from their winter lairs.As the planet's climate is experiencing rapid changes, so is the Arctic. But the changes here are happening faster and more dramatically than anywhere else. Can it keep pace?Join a breathtaking expedition across the Earth's other pole in ARCTIC: Our Frozen Planet.

Bad Bugs (2024)

Bryn Wright

10 year old Bryn made a claymation movie about the importance of using "natural solutions for your bug problems" – something she's passionate about. The idea came after one of her "grub hunting" sessions (she loves gathering grubs for the birds and lizards).

Bird-Window Collisions

Cheng-ying SONG Chin-ya HU

Bird-window collisions occur when birds flying into buildings or glass windows at high speeds since they fail to perceive and identify them. Such collisions often lead to avian injuries or fatalities. The documentary follows two graduate students, Hsieh Chi-heng and Kan Chia-yun, gradually archiving cases of bird-window collisions and collecting the remains of birds. Together, they preserve the final appearances of these avian victims as evidence of the collisions. Their humble efforts have slowly built up a database for bird-window collisions in Taiwan. The actions of these two young students demonstrate respect and sympathy for life, and also give more depth to the definition of "greening cities.

Blue Whales: Return of the Giants

Hugh Pearson

Narrated by Award-Winning actor Andy Serkis, this film takes viewers on a journey of a lifetime to explore the world of the magnificent blue whale, a species rebounding from the brink of extinction. Blue whales are the largest animals ever to have lived, bigger than any dinosaur, yet we know surprisingly little about them. The film follows two scientific expeditions: one, a high-risk mission to find a missing population of blue whales not seen in 50 years; and the other, to join Diane Gendron, the "Blue Whale Whisperer," in Mexico's Gulf of California, where she and her team explore the important role these remarkable animals play in the health of our oceans. The film provides an unforgettable window into these animals' lives—and the extremes scientists must endure to study them.

Bring Them Home

Ivan MacDonald Ivy MacDonald Daniel Glick

Oscar® nominee and onetime Washington resident Lily Gladstone (Killers of the Flower Moon) narrates this soul-stirring and tradition-oriented documentary about Montana's Blackfoot tribe as they seek to reinstate a wild buffalo herd back to their ancestral land.

Burnt Country (2024)

Kirsten Slemint

Could Australia's past help secure its future? 65,000 years in the making, Burnt Country is about fighting fire, with fire. Exploring the profound knowledge and wisdom of First Nations, this film is an invitation to connect to country and community.

Cactus Hotel (2023)

Yann Sochaczewski

In the American Southwest, a Giant towers unmissable into the blue skies. At first glance it is seemingly lifeless. But if you look closely, the icon of the Sonoran Desert is like a luxury hotel to many desert dwellers. With daily "check-ins" and "check-outs", the wild guests all bring with them amazing survival skills, hunting thrills and housing ideas. They are an unusual band of neighbors and they all have one thing in common: they will cross paths at the fabulous Cactus Hotel. This 50 minutes wildlife documentary tells the life story of an old saguaro cactus with its wild day tourists, quirky residential communities and long-term tenants who manage to make this prickly fortress their home.

Café Y Aves

Roshan Patel

Coffee farms in Colombia exist in some of the most biodiverse ecosystems on the planet. However, agriculture is putting pressure on that biodiversity that is causing catastrophic declines in migratory bird species. Farmers are working alongside Smithsonian scientists to come up with solutions that will be better for birds AND coffee.

Coral Comeback? Call In the Crabs!

Kurt Mann

Get inspired by a team of Florida scientists who are racing to save coral reefs with the help of an army of hungry crabs!

Curlews & Cows

Jeremy Roberts

Curlews nest in grasslands, one of the fastest disappearing habitats in the West. Researchers track use satellite telemetry to track curlews as they migrate in order to understand how ranching helps maintain migrating and nesting habitat.

Every Little Thing

Sally Aitken

Amid the glamour of Hollywood, Los Angeles, a woman finds herself on a transformative journey as she nurtures wounded hummingbirds, unraveling a visually captivating and magical tale of love, fragility, healing, and the delicate beauty in tiny acts of greatness.
A film of joy and wonder, EVERY LITTLE THING offers profound truths in a deceptively simple story. What does it mean to care for another, and what impact does this act have on us? In tending to these fragile yet resilient hummingbirds, Terry Masear finds a sense of healing from her own past. Her diminutive patients — brought into sharp focus through breathtaking, beautifully detailed photography — become memorable protagonists in their own right. The viewer becomes emotionally invested in Cactus, Jimmy, Wasabi, Alexa, and Mikhail, celebrating their small victories and lamenting their tiny tragedies. The compassion and empathy that Masear shows her Lilliputian charges serves as a lesson to us all — a reminder that in the smallest of acts, and in the tiniest of creatures, we might find grace.—BT

Evolution Earth Series (Ep2 Islands and Ep5 Grasslands)

David Allen Oli Twinch

Evolution Earth embarks on a global expedition to reveal the animals keeping pace with a planet changing at super speed. Heading out across the globe to distant wilds and modern urban environments, five episodes track how animals are moving, using ingenuity to adapt their behaviour, and even evolving in unexpected ways

Eye of the Hornbill

Miguel Anton

A portrait of the colourful birdlife of the Tenasserim mountains of South-East Asia. The forest appears quiet, but deep inside, daily adventures take place under the attentive eye of the hornbill. Today, a monsoon downpour soaks the jungle, and the radiant Black-naped monarch will have to be persistent if he wants to maintain his bright plumage. Secret stories of rarely-filmed birds that will keep unfolding as long as their forest home remains untouched.

Faces of the Cloud Forest (2023)

Hugh Allen

In Bwindi Impenetrable forest, growing conflict with people puts the local population of Mountain Gorillas at risk. In her struggle to protect them, one veterinarian discovers that it is the many similarities between the two communities that threaten to destroy them both.

Flight of the Swans (2023)

Annabel Vine

A female conservationist takes to the skies in a paramotor to follow Bewick's Swans on their annual migration in a bid to understand their dramatic decline; 7,000 kilometers, 11 countries, from Russia to England across tundra, forests, and industrial landscapes, where she encounters people just as passionate about saving and protecting these birds and their wetland homes. Narrated by Academy Award nominee Sophie Okonedo.

Flora, Fauna, Funga

Sam Sheline

This short film follows Chilean mycologist and National Geographic Explorer Giuliana Furci's search for new mushrooms in far southern Chile, on the main island of Tierra del Fuego. She's joined by biologist and author Merlin Sheldrake and mycologist Toby Kiers from SPUN, the Society for the Protection of Underground Networks, whose goal is to map the mycorrhizal networks of the world. Together, the three scientists illuminate how—through nutrient cycling and the essential relationships they form with plants—fungi underpin every ecosystem on Earth, and outline a strategy for greater fungal inclusion in conservation policy.

Flyways: The Untold Journey of Migratory Shorebirds

Randall Wood

Take a birds-eye-view journey into the world of the migratory shorebird. The world's greatest endurance athletes fly up to 9 days non-stop, and they need your help. Come along and hear the message from the birds

For You (2023)

Luca Paulli

For You is a letter from a father to his two-year-old son. This project is deeply intimate and personal, yet it carries a universal message: though the future may be uncertain, with love, courage, and imagination, we can build a better future. Set in Peckham, South East London, where the director lives with his family, the story is narrated in Italian, the language he has spoken to his son since birth. Now more than ever, the future of our planet appears uncertain, and our children are urging us to take action to help them build a better tomorrow. This film aims to foster a positive perspective. Instead of succumbing to fear, it inspires us to draw strength from our children and envision a brighter future—an idea truly worth fighting for.

Giants Rising

Lisa Landers

A journey into the heart of America's most iconic forests, GIANTS RISING reveals the secrets and the saga of the coast redwoods—the tallest and among the oldest living beings on Earth. It's an epic tale that explores the wonders of these silent giants and our dramatic, ever-evolving relationship with them. Living links to the past, redwoods also hold powers that may play a role in our future, including their ability to withstand fire and capture carbon, to offer clues about longevity, and even to enhance our own well-being. How do they do it —and how will redwoods keep working their magic as they're pushed to their limits?
Through the voices of biologists, artists, Native peoples and others racing to understand and safeguard these trees, GIANTS RISING reveals the scientific wonders of redwoods, our deep cultural ties to them, and efforts to help these iconic forests overcome the legacy of logging that nearly wiped them out. It's a story that offers lessons about resilience and connection, and the promise of solutions that will help us ALL rise up from the past and face the challenges that lay ahead.

Grasping the Nettle

Mairi Eyres

Nettles are a plant that many of us are familiar with. They sting our bare legs, invade our gardens and swamp our footpaths. Yet for filmmaker, Mairi Eyres, there is something about this unloved plant that captures her imagination. Could there be more to their story? She sets off on a journey to find out, building an unusual piece of camera equipment along the way, and meeting the people who can show her a different side to the nettle. There's Liam, the Northern Irish farmer who plants them; Ali who searches for the magic in urban nettles; and Nettle Girl, a nine-year-old child with no fear of their sting. What can they all teach her about the way she sees the nettle? With beautiful imagery and touching characters, this film is a call to examine the way we view nature, and to appreciate the wonders right on our doorstep.

Healy (2023)

Maya Craig

For millions of years, the Arctic Ocean has been covered by a permanent sheet of ice. Within a generation, it will melt in its entirety during summer for the first time in human history. HEALY follows a crew of scientists and sailors through a two-month research mission setting out to try to understand why the northern ice cap is melting even faster than climate models have predicted – and how the transformation is altering life on Earth.

If You Give a Beach a Bottle

Max Romey

Inspired by a picture book, Max Romey heads to a remote beach on Alaska"s coastline in search of marine debris. What he finds is a different story altogether.

Immaculate (2023)

Ningjing Wang

"Sometimes I feel like I am not a conservation researcher but an extinction accountant."

Island Zero (2024)

Ryan Broussard Joshua Sisolak

The mayor of an island off the coast of Virginia hopes to have his town saved from rising tides.

Jaguar Del Cielo (2023)

Austin Alvarado

Jaguar Del Cielo follows field tech Felix Tafoya's journey to better understand and conserve Mexico's apex predator in the El Cielo Biosphere Reserve in Tamaulipas, Mexico. By catching jaguars and fitting them with GPS collars, Felix and his co-workers are able to track the movement of jaguars and get insights into their mysterious and elusive lives. The information collected from the collars is crucial to better understand the species and to mitigate conflicts with humans, which is imperative for the long-term conservation of jaguars.

Jojo - A Toad Musical

Chelsea Jolly David Herasimtschuk

JOJO celebrates a musical portrait of JoJo Nyaribo, a young nature enthusiast and wildlife advocate, as he explores the world of the Western Toad and its numerous threats. This story beautifully intertwines Jojo's love for nature with his quest to create awareness of a devastating fungus that is decimating amphibians worldwide. Through small, actionable steps such as cleaning his shoes and educating loved ones, Jojo discovers his role in decreasing the fungus's spread.

Joko & Putra (2022)

Jeissy Trompiz

In a small fishing village of Indonesia, Joko (47), a veteran fisherman, is struggling to catch fishes. The contamination for the industrial activities and the plastic pollution on the coastal area, have contributed to reduce the fish population and have made difficult the fishermen's job. Joko's son, Putra (17), is constantly connected to his phone. He has decided to study to become a mechanical engineer. With this decision, the family fishing tradition will definitively get lost.

Judy’s Creek – Discovering the secret life of the streambed

Jeremy Monroe

Follow ecologist, educator, and author, Dr. Judy Li, into the world of caddisflies, the artisans of the aquatic world. With contagious passion, Judy shares how her childhood curiosity led to a career in freshwater science, and how she has found ways to share the joys of science with audiences of all ages.

Karibu Nyumbani (2023)

Matthew Williams-Ellis

"Karibu Nyumbani" translates as "Welcome to my Home" in Swahili. Guides in the Maasai Mara have a deep-rooted pride, knowledge, and love for wildlife. This film encapsulates that passion from the perspective of George Osono, a guide in Mara North Conservancy, who completely embodies this spirit of caring for nature.

Keepers of the Land

Douglas Neasloss Deirdre Leowinata

In the heart of British Columbia's Great Bear Rainforest, one Nation is reclaiming the power they held for millennia. As the impacts of colonial exploitation and mismanagement take an increasing toll on their territory, the Kitasoo Xai'xais Nation finds strength in its stories and culture, emerging as a stewardship leader in a new age of reconciliation in Canada. A powerful story of resurgence, the weight of hereditary leadership, and the responsibility they carry into the modern world told through the eyes of elder and hereditary chief Nismuutk, Ernest Mason Jr., and the new young leaders following in his footsteps.

Looking Up (2023)

Stephanie Guest Charlotte Gillespie Lily Winter

In 'Looking Up,' the camera turns its lens on three individuals whose lives intersect through a shared love for birdwatching. As the story unfolds, each character opens up about their personal battles with mental health, navigating the turbulent waters of burnout, depression, anxiety, and trauma. This short film doesn't sugarcoat life's challenges, but it gently reminds us that sometimes, the simple act of reconnecting with nature—watching birds, in this case—can be a powerful remedy. 'Looking Up' is a down-to-earth exploration of personal struggles, resilience, and the unexpected healing that can come from a pair of binoculars and a bit of fresh air.

Losing Blue (2023)

Leanne Allison

What does it mean to lose a colour? Losing Blue is a cinematic poem about losing the otherworldly blues of ancient mountain lakes, now fading due to climate change. With stunning cinematography, this short doc immerses the viewer in the magnificence of these rare lakes, pulling us in to stand on their rocky shores, witness their power and understand what their loss would mean—both for ourselves and for the Earth.

Lynx Man

Juha Suonpää

A Finnish equivalent of Werner Herzog's Grizzly Man, Hannu has a love and connection to nature that surpasses most. It is the rare lynx in particular that has bitten into Hannu's heart – so much so that he actually claims to be able to speak its language. So when a dead lynx turns up in his forest, he dons an animal mask, crawls down on all fours and sniffs out the mystery through the mire and thicket. With hauntingly beautiful footage captured by hidden cameras throughout the forest, 'Lynx Man' paints a colourful and vivid twilight picture of the natural world around us – and of man's impact on it. For no matter what Hannu does to live in harmony with the animals, he cannot hide from belonging himself to the species that is the lynx's worst enemy. It makes sense that most of Juha Suonpää's atmospheric film takes place in the twilight between dream and reality. Here, the vast forests come alive in Hannu's hypnotic Night Vision footage of the nocturnal life of the lynx.

Mel Fell (2022)

Galen Fott

One day, when Mama bird is away, Mel decides it's time to learn to fly. She's been in the nest long enough. Despite the fears of her cautious siblings, Mel takes to the sky…and plummets! But while a host of tree-dwelling animals tries to intervene, can Mel master the art of flight?

Metropolis – A Day in Reef City

Luca Keller

Discover the hidden wonders of Reef City in "Metropolis," a mesmerizing short film by Luca Keller that takes you into the heart of a coral reef's daily life, showcasing intimate and illuminating wildlife scenes.

Modern Goose (2023)

Karsten Wall

Able to navigate by reading the Earth's magnetic field, at home on land, air and water, geese straddle the territory between ancient instincts and the contemporary world. Combining beauty, humour and profound empathy, director Karsten Wall's exquisitely observed film essay embeds in the daily life of these iconic animals to reveal a deeper message of continuity and connection.

Nocturnes

Anirban Dutta Anupama Srinivasan

In the dense forests of the Eastern Himalayas, moths are whispering something to us. In the dark of night, two curious observers shine a light on this secret universe.
Deep in the pitch-black forest, a few hundred moths are drawn by a single source of illumination to a piece of hung canvas. Only through this intimate examination can their existence, and the happenings of their world, be made visible. Though moth life spans are measured in hours and represent only a small amount of the immense biodiversity of their species, in these small beings lies a history of our planet. With a transportive and experiential visual style and immersive sound that brings you to a place few people can travel, co-directors Anirban Dutta and Anupama Srinivasan's Nocturnes gives us a multi-millennia vision of time nearly beyond our human-scale perception.—SS

Otters of Yellowstone (2024)

Joshua Bruni

A short film showcasing the beauty of river otters and how they thrive during the harsh winter season in Yellowstone National Park.

Planet Shark Series

Mark Woodward

Sharks are one of the oldest and most successful hunters ever to have lived. With more than 500 shark species, they dominate every corner of our oceans; from the tropics to the poles, the open ocean to the deep. What is it about these extraordinary survivors that makes them so successful? For the first time, scientists are starting to unlock their secrets. Featuring newly discovered species, locations and behaviour, PLANET SHARK combines stunning 4K archive footage with original content from the world's leading shark scientists to take a timely and in depth look at the greatest predator on earth. "In the last ten years, new tracking & filming technology has allowed us to get closer to sharks than ever before, transforming our understanding of how these animals live & how they've come to dominate our oceans." – Greg Skomal, Shark Scientist Beautiful, awe-inspiring and revelatory, you'll never look at sharks in the same light again.

Pond

Lena von Döhren Eva Rust

A shoal of herrings, adopting fantastic formations, roams the vast ocean. When seagulls suddenly attack, one small herring finds itself stranded in a tidal pool. As it searches desperately for a way out, it discovers many other sea creatures here. And now there is no time for fear: only by joining forces can they hope to defend themselves against the hungry seagull.

Pripyat Horse

Sally Patricia Pearce

'A sparrow flies swiftly in through one door of the hall, and out through another…. Even so, man appears on earth for a little while; but of what went before this life or of what follows, we know nothing.' Bede

Protecting the Monarch Butterfly (2020)

Sonny DePasquale

Monarch butterflies have one of the longest migrations of any insects, so they depend on critical habitat for their survival during their long journey. Organizations like the Pollinator Conservation Association are committed to protecting and restoring habitat to help save this iconic species.

Puffling

Jessica Bishopp

Young women on a remote island off Iceland help lost puffins, who easily lose their bearings. – DeWitt Davis

Queens Series (2024)

laira Mallalieu Faith Musembi

Tiny Jungle Queens — Under the rainforest canopy of Central America is a secret world ruled by insects. Two tiny queens will give everything to build their empires. The ant queen will sacrifice her own body for the future of her growing colony, while the beautiful orchid bee will stop at nothing for success, betraying those closest to her.

Rebirth of the Range

Kira Kay Jason Maloney

"Rebirth of the Range" tells the first-person/non-narrated story of the return of the formerly NATIONAL Bison Range Park in Montana to the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribe — on whose stolen land the park had originally been created under President Roosevelt. An inspirational and visually stunning social justice story, this 45-minute documentary, told in 6 acts, also holds important lessons for both indigenous and non-indigenous viewers — including on the taking of land even in the name of our public national parks. This rare federal land return to tribal jurisdiction was more than a century in the asking, and only persistent and savvy negotiating by the tribe finally succeeded in getting the land back, in late 2020 — a strategy that indigenous experts believe can be a successful model for other tribes. And the film helps break the stereotypes that the tribal scientists reveal remain a constant struggle for them. Independent filmmakers Kira Kay and Jason Maloney spent a year obtaining careful access and then filming alongside the tribe as it took over management of the Park's pristine 19,000 acres, the sacred bison herd on it and the visitor's center exhibit (correcting its false version of history in the process). The filmmakers also expanded their reporting to include an in-depth look at the progressive environmental conservation and climate mitigation work the tribe is undertaking throughout its entire Flathead Reservation, blending "traditional ecological knowledge" with "Western science" practices. And they were welcomed into community events including the annual Arlee pow wow celebration, itself a symbol of historical repression and now an expression of survival of the tribe and its culture. The film culminates in an exclusive view of the first bison "round up" on the Range to be undertaken fully under tribal jurisdiction — an uplifting culmination of multi-generational advocacy and cementing of tribal knowledge for now and the future. The film was released on November 17th as licensed to ABC OTV for initial streaming; but the filmmakers retain rights to the content for further markets, which they are now actively seeking, and to screen for public audiences through festivals. The film was supported by grants from the National Press Foundation (the Kozik Environmental Justice Reporting award) and the Henry Luce Foundation's program on Indigenous Knowledge.

Rorqual (2023)

Hugo Hebbe

Have you ever wondered what creatures might be hiding in the Mediterranean? Out there, in the deep waters of the deep blue, hides an animal of extraordinary dimensions. The largest living creature on the planet, second only to the blue whale, found refuge in these waters long ago. It is a pillar of the ecosystem, a symbol of the richness of our world. Come aboard WWF's iconic sailing boat, the Blue Panda, and sail to the Pelagos sanctuary alongside Denis Ody and his teams, where you'll meet the fin whale.

Saving Howler Monkey’s Together

Marlon Denning

This film tells the story of the work being done by Toucan Rescue Ranch to rescue orphaned Howler Monkeys. Through juxtaposing the journeys of two wildlife conservationists the film details how they've come together to work at overcoming the many challenges of wildlife rehabilitation. Being the first to launch such a program for Howler Monkeys, they face many challenges but also opportunities as they work towards providing these animals a second chance at life in the wild.

Saving the Bone-swallower

Mayuresh Kishor Hendre

In the heart of northeast India, on a desolate landfill site, a bird once considered a troublesome pest and a carrier of disease, the endangered Greater Adjutant stork scavenges to survive in an unlikely urban ecosystem. Known as the 'Hargila' or 'Bone-swallower', in the local Assamese language, it finds itself at the centre of a remarkable tale of an image makeover.

School Of Fish

Oliver Sutro Colin Arisman

An intimate look at Indigenous culture and salmon fishing, with a focus on an Alaskan family that fights to defend their history, future, and lifestyle. – Anita Raswant

Silent chirping of invisible Digits (2023)

Vera Sebert

Like a single film frame, insects flash for the fraction of a second, only to immediately withdraw from the field of vision again. In between their flickering body fragments, the film shows undefinable voids. What can be seen when familiar filters of vision and the narratives associated with them are missing?

Silvicola

Jean-Philippe Marquis

An unusually intimate glimpse into the people, processes, and paradoxes of modern forestry practices, Silvicola is a sensorially immense contemplation on the psychic entanglement of humans, machines, and nature, set amongst the sprawling forests of the Canadian Pacific Northwest.

Slow Shift

Shambhavi Kaul

Amid the ruins of the 14th-century city of Hampi in southwestern India—fabled site of the ancient Monkey Kingdom—troops of langurs observe a world in flux. Intercutting observational footage with constructed sequences, filmmaker Shambhavi Kaul juxtaposes human, simian, and geologic timescales, marking a place where history, mythology, and nature conspire and collide.

Song of the Prairie: Restoring a Home on the Range for the Attwater’s Prairie Chicken

Patrick Thrash

Texas' coastal prairies once spanned more than 6 million acres extending from the southernmost Texas up along the Gulf of Mexico part of the state and into Louisiana, but today less than one percent of this habitat remains. Such a significant loss of coastal prairie has devastated many wildlife populations, including the critically endangered Attwater's prairie chicken (APC). The good news: After years of protection and conservation efforts, Texas' Attwater's prairie chicken population is higher than it has been in decades.

The Bee (2024)

Kim Lowe

Boston beekeeper Bill Perkins shares his knowledge and love of bees with his community, which sometimes means riding through a busy city with 10,000 bees on the back of your bike.

The Eagle With The Sunlit Eye

Ted Simpson

We drove it to extinction. We brought it back. Can we learn to look it in the eye? The White Tailed Eagle is one of the largest birds of prey on the planet. For generations, humans have struck an uneasy relationship with this apex predator. We persecuted it to extinction in Britain a century ago – and then the 1970s saw this greatest of eagles brought back to our wild edges. The return of this apex predator sparked controversy, as accusations of livestock killings quickly surfaced from Scotland's rural community. Despite no record of predation in Norway, and with an Irish reintroduction scheme ongoing, in Scotland a war of words rages on over the future of this raptor. This film dives unflinchingly into the conflict, just as the fire burns white hot. Pulling back the curtain on the reintroduction process, combining breathtaking visuals with heart stopping action, and even turning the cameras onto the filmmakers themselves, this epic documentary ultimately asks us – will we ever learn to live alongside the eagle with the sunlit eye? And what will we lose if we can't?

The Halcyon Days

Robin Fisher

A Natural history film, following the intimate lives of kingfishers as they struggle to raise a family. The film focuses on the journey of a female kingfisher as she must deal with the death of her chicks and raise another family before the season ends.

The Quest to Save Parasites

Emily Driscoll

Scientists are on a mission to save parasites—not to kill them. Climate change is already doing an increasingly good job at the latter, and that could be a big problem for the world.

The Return of Nóouhàh-Toka’na (Swift Fox)

Roshan Patel

Nóouhàh-Toka'na, known as swift fox in English, once roamed the North American Great Plains from Canada to Texas. Like bison, pronghorn and other plains animals, Nóouhàh-Toka'na held cultural significance for the Native Americans who lived alongside them. But predator control programs in the mid-1900s reduced the foxes to just 10 percent of their native range.
At the Fort Belknap Indian Community in Montana, members of the Aaniiih and Nakoda tribes are working with the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute and other conservation partners to restore biodiversity and return Nóouhàh-Toka'na to the land.

The Rock Pool Waltz

Marlon Denning

During COVID lockdown, a boy's affinity with nature eases his loneliness and leads to an incredible friendship.

The Unseen (2023)

Francesco Guarini

As Timo prepares his nest ready for mating season, his call is answered… But the source of the reply is not what he had hoped.

Toxic Art

Jason Whalen

Acid mine drainage is a pervasive problem in American Appalachia, poisoning streams and killing wildlife. The technology and funding to remove these pollutants and bring life back to streams just didn't exist, that is until fine art painter and professor John Sabraw rallied a team to address the issue in their local stream and developed a breakthrough process to upcycle pollutants into paint pigments. It's amazing what humans are capable of when their actions are relentlessly committed, creative and cooperative.

Tuhaymani'chi Pal Waniqa (The Water Flows Always)

Nils Cowan Gina Milanovich

A father seeks to reconnect his daughter with her indigenous roots and with the ancient springs of the Mojave Desert, just as a new water-mining project threatens their very existence.

Under the Wire (2024)

Mariah Lundgren

Pronghorn are endemic to North America and make their home in the high plains and vast sagebrush sea of the American West, and like many ungulate species, their survival relies on the ability to roam freely. They need to be able to migrate across large tracks of ground to avoid bad weather and find food. The North Platte River Valley along the Colorado-Wyoming border is rich with wildlife diversity held mostly in private ownership. The rangelands in this area stewarded by ranchers make ideal habitat for pronghorn and other wildlife species. However, the miles of fences used to keep cattle in pastures are often barriers to the pronghorn's and other wildlife's movements.

Underbirds: The Fight to Save the Southern New Zealand Dotterel

Brady Clarke Abi Liddell Isabella Lewis

Nestled in the rugged and remote mountains of Rakiura, Stewart Island, a remarkable story unfolds—one that could slip through the cracks of time unless it is brought to the world's attention. With less than 126 birds remaining, a team of Department of Conservation Rangers are fighting to preserve New Zealand's most endangered bird. This is an ongoing battle of not only survival of these critically endangered birds, but the mental health and stamina of the rangers who have dropped everything to be here.

Washed Ashore (2022)

Ley Heimgartner Cameron Nielsen

An international team of marine biologists investigates the mysterious and sudden die-off of the Pacific Gray Whale. Since 2019, 1 and 4 whales have died, and scientists have more guesses as to why than answers. Determined to find a cause this team of scientists is racing against the clock. With every passing month, more whales are washing ashore on their migration from Mexico to Alaska.

water ashes (2023)

Katalin Egely

How is it possible to find happiness while seeing the world around us falling apart so quickly? A music video about the hope of the "climate change" generation.

Wild Hope: Coral Comeback

Jared Lipworth Sean B. Caroll

Corals around the world are threatened by rising ocean temperatures that risk bleaching reefs and decimating entire marine ecosystems, but researchers in Hawaii are helping these marine architects beat the heat. With their help, coral reefs may have a better chance to survive—both now, and in the future.
WILD HOPE is a series that highlights the conservation changemakers who are sparking new hope for the future of our planet.

Wild Hope: Vertical Meadows

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As urban expansion quickly replaces natural habitats, façade engineer Alistair Law has created a radically new way to restore native ecosystems for pollinators and create natural spaces for us all within cities—by turning the walls of buildings and construction sites into meadows.

Wings of the Oder (2023)

Graham Steele

Growing up near the Oder in Poland, Piotr Chara spent most of his childhood in and around the river and shores. Later, Piotr noticed a decline in the river and its inhabitants. Climate change and unintended consequences had negatively impacted the once thriving shores – specifically the wildlife. Wetland birds – terns and oystercatchers – were decreasing in numbers due to difficulty nesting. Their habitats were compromised, making them easy prey for predators. Deeply affected by seeing the birds unable to make nests, Piotr researched solutions and started an organization that builds floating nests for the birds. Also an award winning photographer, Piotr films the birds as part of his studies and reports his findings to The Foundation of the Green Valley of the Oder and Warta.

You Are Not Small (2023)

Sherene Strausberg

A short film about how small people can have a big impact on the world.