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. This also marks the competition’s move to an annual event, for the first time in the organisations 43-year history.
This year’s Awards will see the introduction of three new categories:
- Short Panda Award: for productions less than 20 minutes in length. The award has been introduced to reflect the importance of connecting with younger audiences and the growth of digital and the creator economy within the genre.
- Independent Film Panda Award: recognising productions that have had less input from major production studios and have a budget under £1.5 million. It also builds on growing success of Wildscreen’s Official Selection Programme, showcasing authentic storytellers and original independent stories from around the world.
- In-Country Production Panda Award: recognising productions made on location in-country with at least 50 percent of the production team being in-country nationals.
The introduction of the In-Country Panda Award builds on Wildscreen’s goal to build a more equitable and inclusive genre and the legacy of Wildscreen’s growing international events, including its annual two-day Festival on the African continent. The location of the 2025 edition will be announced later next month.
Lucie Muir, CEO of Wildscreen, said: “Every other year, since Wildscreen was founded in 1982, the Panda Awards have celebrated the human endeavour, commitment and unique storytelling skill that it takes to connect global audiences with nature. For the first time we are moving to annual awards, reflecting the evolution of the industry and the shift in pace, platforms, storytellers and audiences in the content landscape. We also need to push and platform the vital role storytelling has in connecting global audiences with nature to drive action in tackling the climate and biodiversity crises.”
The 2025 competition comprises 17 categories, with all films nominated across the 17 categories being eligible for the Golden Panda Award, with previous winners including Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story (2024) 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 22 October 2025.
The Panda Awards Ceremony 2025 will sit alongside a new industry summit hosted by Wildscreen in October 2025, with further details due to be announced next month.
To enter the Wildscreen Panda Awards visit the Wildscreen Website and submit via FilmFreeway. The deadline to enter is 17 April 2025 but submissions prior to 25 February will receive a reduced-price early bird entry fee.
