• "#Hvaldimir, Conversation with a spy whale"
Renowned natural history storytelling charity Wildscreen announces its Official Selection for Wildscreen Festival 2024 (14-18th October in Bristol), curated by a team of fully independent and professional programmers.
“On behalf of the programme team, I am delighted to present this lineup of incredible films curated by highly diverse filmmakers. These films span continents, weaving tales from the microscopic world to the majestic march of elephants,” says Chioma Onyenwe, Chair of Programmers; “It is extraordinary to see that the ongoing struggle to save nature is happening on both micro and macro levels. We hope these films inspire and instil a profound sense of responsibility for preserving our planet for generations to come.”
STAND OUT FILMS
The Official Selection will see 36 films from 6 continents (Europe, North America, South America, Asia, Africa and Australasia) screen at the festival. 16 (44%) of the films are directed by women, and 7 (19.5%) are from producers based in the Global South; emphasising Wildscreen’s commitment to platforming underrepresented voices in natural history storytelling.
The 2024 lineup includes:
• "Second Nature: Gender and Sexuality in the Animal World" (1x56’) narrated by trans Hollywood actor Elliot Page. From 2022 Sundance Fellow and Grantee Drew Denny, "Second Nature" explores from the 1,500 species where homosexuality is observed, to animals that can change sex.
• "#Hvaldimir, Conversation with a spy whale" (1x90’, UK Premiere), the story of a beluga whale that escaped from a secret Russian military base and became a social media phenomenon. Canal+ is attached as a broadcaster, with Mediawan Rights representing.
• "Orca – Black & White Gold" (1x91’, UK Premiere) from Terra Mater Studios, a thrilling ride inside the battle between a ring of Russian businessmen, monsters, orca catchers and bureaucrats now driving the global captivity trade, and the journalists and activists fighting to protect the animals.
• "Antarctica Unearthed" (1x63’), an exploration of the Antarctic ecosystems hosting the planet’s smallest animals from National Geographic Explorer Ariel Waldman.
• "Giants Rising" (1x82’), a journey into the heart of America’s most iconic forests from director Lisa Landers ("The Science of Sustainability").
SHORT FILMS
Two short films in the Selection have been made for Fulldome Planetariums "The Earth Above: A Deep Time View of Australia’s Epic History" (1x28’) and "Sounds of the Ocean" (1x25). They will be screened alongside "Secrets from a Forest" (1x26), which is nominated for the Festival’s Sound Panda Award.
Also included in this year’s Selection is VR short "Amazônia Viva" (1x10’) from Estêvão Ciavatta, founder of Pindorama Filmes: Brazil’s first Carbon Neutral audiovisual company.