Wildscreen, the UK not-for-profit behind the Wildscreen Festival, the world’s biggest wildlife film and TV Festival, opens its call for entries for its world-renowned Panda Awards and Official Selection film competitions.
This year’s Awards will comprise two new categories, the first being a Special Recognition Award for Field Craft, which will highlight the critical role of local in-country field crew within the natural history genre. Nominated and judged by industry peers, the award will celebrate individuals such as field guides, drivers and local conservationists who have made a significant contribution to the industry spanning a number of years and productions.
This builds on the legacy of Wildscreen Festival Nairobi, a two-day event which took place in 2023, bringing talent and storytellers from across the globe to Kenya’s thriving capital as part of the organisation’s mission to build a more inclusive industry.
In addition, there will be a Children’s Award recognising the importance of connecting younger generations with nature. This category is sponsored by Wildscreen ARK, a new online nature hub for young people, which the charity launches next month.
Lucie Muir, CEO of Wildscreen, said: “Since 1982, the Panda Awards have celebrated the human endeavour, commitment and unique skill that it takes to connect nature’s stories with global audiences. Biodiversity loss and climate change are the greatest environmental crises of our time, with the documentary genre never being more important or needed.”
The 2024 competition comprises 14 categories, with all films nominated across the 14 categories being eligible for the Golden Panda Award, with previous winners including My Garden of a Thousand Bees (2022) and My Octopus Teacher (2020). Nominees will be announced in the Summer, with the winners announced at the Wildscreen Panda Awards Ceremony which will be held in Bristol on 17 October 2024.
