The Wildscreen Festival 2024 (14th – 18th October) has just announced its full programme. Headline Sponsored by the BBC Studios Natural History Unit, the biennial event is set to gather the wildlife and natural history storytelling community for a series of cutting-edge discussions and events about the state of the industry, and the planet. Whilst lots of urgent matters are at the forefront of programme, it is also set to be a landmark celebration of wildlife filmmaking.
The programme includes a lineup of headline sessions and panels, the festival’s iconic Panda Awards (sponsored by Warner Chappell Production Music), an Official Selection of 36 films, WildPitch (supported by National Geographic), and the much-loved kit show. Read on for highlights:
Chai Vasarhelyi
Headline sessions
Joining the festival remotely for a live interview, Oscar-winning director Chai Vasarhelyi (Free Solo, Nyad), will share her stories of human exploration and endeavour, her journey with her latest documentary film Endurance (premiering at the BFI London Film Festival next month), and building a more representative doc genre. There will also be a special headline session sponsored by the BBC Studios Natural History Unit, featuring Charlotte Moore (Chief Content Officer, BBC).
Another unmissable headline session is On The Edge: Nature Through a New Lens, with speakers including Myles Storey, Nikki Tan and Evangelista Wan. This session is an opportunity to meet the filmmakers producing films outside of the typical natural history box: think drag queens, drama, long distance romances, comedy and more!
The 2024 programme also sees the launch of a new Show me the Money event series. With sessions including How to Fund your Coproduction, this series is essential for filmmakers looking to learn about diverse funding options – from distribution partnerships to government subsidies.
Panda Awards (sponsored by Warner Chappell Production Music)
This year’s Panda Awards will honour excellence in wildlife filmmaking. Awards are up for gabs in 14 categories at the ceremony taking place on the 17th October. The awards will be livestreamed online for those not in Bristol.
WildPitch (supported by National Geographic)
The WildPitch competition will see storytellers pitching their projects to a live audience and judging panel including Janet Van Vissering, Sara Edelson and Sabine Holzer. Three winners will win a share of the total prize fund of $24,000.
Official Selection (sponsored by Love Nature and Blue Ant Studios)
36 films from across the world will be screening in Bristol during the festival, including at Bristol MegaScreen, We The Curious, and the Royal Photographic Society. Noteworthy titles include Orca – Black & White Gold (Terra Mater Studios), Second Nature: Gender and Sexuality in the Animal World (narrated by Elliot Page), and The Eagle with the Sunlit Eye (UK director Ted Simpson).
Kit show
Exhibitors including Arri, Canon, Sony and Underwater Visions will be showcasing their latest technology at the festival, providing attendees with an opportunity to explore the latest advancements in natural world storytelling.
Jonny Keeling, Head of BBC Studios Natural History Unit, expressed enthusiasm about the festival, stating “as headline sponsors, we’re incredibly excited to be supporting the 2024 Wildscreen Festival. It’s a globally significant event, bringing together wildlife filmmakers from across the planet. The calibre of speakers and panellists is exceptional, and the topics featured unmissable. I’m sure this year’s festival will once again inspire creators to develop and produce brilliant, compelling, and relevant content to engage audiences of all ages and all backgrounds around the world.”
The full festival programme is now available online, with tickets for both in-person and virtual attendance available at wildscreen.org/festival.
Pippa Considine
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