Wildscreen: Wildpitch selects three winners

WildPitch debuted during the 40th anniversary edition of the Wildscreen Festival in 2022, providing an opportunity for anyone with a story about the natural world to pitch to key wildlife film and TV decision makers and win funding to bring their projects to life.

Supported by National Geographic, WildPitch 2024 showcased a judging panel that included Sabine Holzer (Head of Specialist Factual, Terra Mater Studios), Charlie Parsons (SVP, Global Development, National Geographic), Sara Edelson (Director, Original Documentary Series, Netflix), and Sarah Willingham (Entrepreneur, Investor, and Dragon).

WildPitch 2024 winners:

• Human Nature – $8,000 – Arctic Blue (Ismaele Tortella & Anita Norfolk)
• Conservation & Environment – $8,000 – Seed (Andres Sehinkman)
• Animal Behaviour – $8,000 – American Lion (Lia Nydes)

Project synopses:

• Arctic Blue – Ismaele Tortella & Anita Norfolk
  Ismaele ventures into the Arctic wilderness to become a renowned wildlife cinematographer. Inspired by the people and wildlife thriving in extreme conditions, he confronts his stutter for the first time, exploring his evolving relationship with his dreams and voice.
• Seed – Andres Sehinkman
  A tiny, unidentified sprout in a greenhouse longs to discover its identity. To find out what kind of plant it is, it uproots itself and ventures deep into the jungle, where the path to the world’s most endangered forest is filled with both wonder and danger.
• American Lion – Lia Nydes
  This groundbreaking blue-chip natural history film focuses on Mountain Lions in the United States, following two lioness mothers as they face incredible hardships while raising their kittens. The film highlights opportunities for better conservation of Mountain Lions and their habitat.

Full list of WildPitch finalists: WildPitch 2024 Finalists