Wildscreen PANDA AWARDS 2025
Celebrating the Best in Natural World Storytelling.
Discover the Wildscreen Panda Award Winners 2025 below!
Since 1982
The globally acclaimed Panda Awards, the ‘Green Oscars’ of the international wildlife film and TV industry, have sat at the heart of the Wildscreen Festival since 1982. They celebrate the very best in the natural world storytelling craft, and remain the highest honour in the industry.
This year’s competition comprised of 17 categories and three special awards, including the coveted Golden Panda for the best overall production.
The 2025 competition features 3 new awards including the Short Panda Award for productions less than 20 minutes in length; the Independent Film Award recognising productions that have had less input from major production studios and have a budget under £1.5 million; and the 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
Submitting Your Film
Submtting your film for consideration in Wildscreen’s 2025 Panda Awards has never been simpler.
Now accepting submissions exclusively through Filmfreeway. Late deadline closes on May 13th. So what are you waiting for? Get those submissions in!
Rules & Guidelines for 2025 submitters are listed on our Filmfreeway page.
Reasons To Enter
The world renowned ‘Green Oscars’ of the natural history industry recognise the very best in the craft of wildlife filmmaking and photography, selected by juries of industry experts across the globe.
Each category will receive 3 shortlisted nominations, who receive a certificate and laurel. The winning production will be announced at the Panda Awards Ceremony during Wildscreen Festival. Each winner will receive a bronze panda statue, winner certificate and laurel.
All submissions to the Panda Awards are in the running for the coveted Golden Panda Award given to the overall best production.
How To Enter
Before submitting your work, please review our competition Rules & Guidelines. All submissions can be made through our submissions portal on FilmFreeway.
Important Submission Dates
- January 23rd – Earlybird Window Opens
- February 25th – Regular Window Opens & Earlybird Window Shuts
- April 17th – Late Window Opens & Regular Window Shuts
- May 13th – Final deadline for entries
- July 14th – Notification Date
Outstanding Achievement Nominations
Who do you think should be awarded the Outstanding Achievement Panda Award 2025?
This year, we’re asking you, our community of storytellers and conservationists to nominate an exceptional individual, team or organisation that that has made a globally significant contribution to the art and craft of storytelling, conservation and/or the wider public’s experience and understanding of the natural world and the need for its protection.
Nominations will be reviewed by industry peers, the Wildscreen Team and Board of Trustees, with the recipient revealed at the Wildscreen Panda Awards Ceremony on 22 October 2025.
Criteria
- This award recognises exceptional achievement and positive impact of the nominees work/and or industry during their career
- Nominees should have broken the mould and pushed the boundaries of the craft, reach and/or impact of their work.
- The award is open to peope at all stages of their career. Whilst significant contribution is perhaps easier to demonstrate in those with longer careers, this should not rule out those that have made a significant impact from an early stage.
Previous recipients include: Sir David Attenborough, Alastair Fothergill, Janet Han Vissering, Christopher Parsons, Nature (PBS), John Downer, Jo Sarsby, Alan Root, HRH Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh.
How To Enter
All submissions are via Form Assembly, accessed through the button below. Please be ready to detail out your nominee’s area of specialism and contribution to the natural world storytelling industry, outlining their accomplishments and credits.
Deadline
- Make your nomination by 11:59pm BST Wednesday 20 August 2025
Panda Awards 2025 Winners
Congratulations to all of this year’s winners as well as the outstanding productions nominated for the 2025 Panda Awards.
This year’s competition attracted productions from around 1/4 of the world’s countries, across 17 different award categories. These final 51 shorts, features and series shone the brightest, featured the very best craft and surprised our jury with their achievements.
Trade Secret, an Untitled Film Works production
Australia
Sponsored by Warner Chappell Production Music
Bazili ‘Baz’ Kessy
Tanzania
Dr. Martha Holmes
Behaviour Award
Sea Lions of the Galapagos
A Silverback Films production for Disneynature and Disney+
UK
Our Oceans – Episode 3: Atlantic Ocean
A Wild Space Production, In association with Freeborne Media and Higher Ground
UK
Katavi Africa’s Fallen Paradise – Episode 2: Purgatory
Children's Award
A Real Bug’s Life – Series 2, Episode 3: Once a Pond a Time
Produced by Plimsoll Productions for National Geographic
UK
FYI Investigates – Saving Nature: Where has our Wildlife Gone?
A Fresh Start Media Production for Sky News and Sky Kids
UK
America’s Wolf
National Geographic Society Impact Story Lab
USA
Cinematography Award
Sponsored by Films at 59
A Real Bug’s Life – Series 2, Episode 1: Love in the Forest
Produced by Plimsoll Productions for National Geographic
UK/USA
Cinematography: Ben Cherry, Katherine Hannaford, Martin Dohrn, Robert Hollingworth, Doug Gardner, Andrew Fleming, Mark Payne-Gill
Ocean with David Attenborough
A Silverback Films and Open Planet Studios co-production in association with All3Media International, National Geographic and Minderoo Pictures. The film is co-produced by Arksen & 10% for the Ocean, Don Quixote Foundation, National Geographic Society and Pristine Seas, Revive Our Ocean, and The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation
UK
Cinematography: Doug Anderson, Toby Strong
The Birds
A Production of Passion Planet and HHMI Tangled Bank Studios in association with Ammonite Films
UK
Editing Award
Underdogs: Superzeroes
Produced by Wildstar Films, a Fremantle company, in partnership with Maximum Effort for National Geographic
UK
Editor: Nigel Buck
Secrets of a Spy Whale
An Oxford Scientific Films, Bonne Pioche and Alfredfilm production for the BBC, NRK and ITV Studios
UK
Editors: Ian Grech, Fredrik Limi, Francis Robertson, James Lagen
Rhino Narrated by Tom Hardy
Dustoff Films production, presented by Kaleidoscope Distribution
UK
Editor: Cassandra Roberts
Emerging Talent Award
The Bird in my Backyard
A Trochilus Films Production for CBC
Canada
Director: Ryan Wilkes
Death Row Dogs
The National Film and Television School
UK
Director: Somerset Phaedrus
The Fading Star
Bambee Studios Private Limited in association with the National Geographic Society
India
Director: Aishwarya Sridhar
Impact Award
Ocean with David Attenborough
A Silverback Films and Open Planet Studios co-production in association with All3Media International, National Geographic and Minderoo Pictures. The film is co-produced by Arksen & 10% for the Ocean, Don Quixote Foundation, National Geographic Society and Pristine Seas, Revive Our Ocean, and The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation
UK
Pantanal
A film by the Environmental Justice Foundation
Brazil/UK
Kingdom of Fish – Episode 1: The Power of Water
Ecofilm Scandinavia AB and Sveriges Television AB
Sweden
In-Country Production Award
Sponsored by VI Rental
The Birds
A Production of Passion Planet and HHMI Tangled Bank Studios in association with Ammonite Films
UK
My Otter Diary
India
Mighty Monkeys
Produced by NHK/NHK ENTERPRISES/Doclights, in association with NDR/ARTE/ZDFS
Japan
Independent Film Award
Sponsored by Wounded Buffalo Sound Studios
Trade Secret
An Untitled Film Works production
Austrailia
The Birds
A Production of Passion Planet and HHMI Tangled Bank Studios in association with Ammonite Films
UK
The Old Bear
A Think Lemonade Production, in association with Vision Hawk Films
USA
Music Award
Pangolin: Kulu’s Journey
An Anonymous Content / Dog Star Films / Water Creature Film / Production for Netflix
UK
Music: Anne Nikitin featuring Zolani Mahola and Sky Dladla
My Otter Diary
An Aranya Parva and Oxford Scientific Films film for All3Media and ZDF/ARTE
India
Ocean with David Attenborough
A Silverback Films and Open Planet Studios co-production in association with All3Media International, National Geographic and Minderoo Pictures. The film is co-produced by Arksen & 10% for the Ocean, Don Quixote Foundation, National Geographic Society and Pristine Seas, Revive Our Ocean, and The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation
UK
Music: Steven Price
On-Screen Talent Award
Sponsored by University of the West of England
Superskilled with Eva Zu Beck
Produced by National Geographic
USA
On-Screen Talent: Eva Zu Beck
Wild Wild South
A Sound Off Films and Southern Wild Films Production for South Carolina ETV
USA
On-Screen Talent: Hyatt Mamoun
Secrets of the Penguins – Episode 101: Heart of the Emperors
Produced by Talesmith in association with Lightstorm Earth for National Geographic
UK
On-Screen Talent: Bertie Gregory
Producer / Director Award
Sponsored by Passion Planet
Underdogs: Superzeroes
Produced by Wildstar Films, a Fremantle company, in partnership with Maximum Effort for National Geographic
UK
Producer/Director: Gary Smith
Ocean with David Attenborough
A Silverback Films and Open Planet Studios co-production in association with All3Media International, National Geographic and Minderoo Pictures. The film is co-produced by Arksen & 10% for the Ocean, Don Quixote Foundation, National Geographic Society and Pristine Seas, Revive Our Ocean, and The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation
UK
Producer/Director: Toby Nowlan
Pangolin: Kulu’s Journey
An Anonymous Content / Dog Star Films / Water Creature Film / Production for Netflix
UK
Production Management Team Award
Sponsored by Clarity
Americas – Episode 2: Mexico
UK/USA
Shared Planet: Forests
A River Road Films production produced in association with CBC, PBS and Arte
Canada
Secret Lives of Animals
BBC Natural History Factual Productions Ltd for Apple+
UK
Production Management Team: Deb Hunt, Elly Novick, Emily Hallett, Georgina Forsyth-Read, Izzi Tippetts, Katharin Gilbert, Louise Britton, Melanie Hoffman, Po Yung, Sue Aartse-Tuyn and Vida Green
Scripted Narrative Award
Sponsored by Terra Mater Studios
Underdogs: Terrible Parents
Produced by Wildstar Films, a Fremantle company, in partnership with Maximum Effort for National Geographic
UK
Writer: Polly Billam
Ocean with David Attenborough
A Silverback Films and Open Planet Studios co-production in association with All3Media International, National Geographic and Minderoo Pictures. The film is co-produced by Arksen & 10% for the Ocean, Don Quixote Foundation, National Geographic Society and Pristine Seas, Revive Our Ocean, and The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation
UK
Script: David Attenborough, Toby Nowlan, Keith Scholey, Colin Butfield
Secret Lives of Orangutans
A Silverback Films Production for Netflix
UK
Script: Huw Cordey
Series Award
Sponsored by Doclights
A Real Bug’s Life – Series 2
Produced by Plimsoll Productions for National Geographic
UK
Secrets of the Penguins
Produced by Talesmith in association with Lightstorm Earth for National Geographic
UK
OceanXplorers
Co-produced by BBC Studios Natural History Unit and OceanX in association with Lightstorm Earth for National Geographic
UK/USA
Short Award
Sponsored by Leica
Tides of Life
University of the West of England
UK
Director: Tatiana McCabe
Life (Cycle) of the Hong Kong Newt
Frigatefilms
Hong Kong SAR, China
Director: Hon Shing Fung
H5N1: Conservation in Crisis
Valentin Blüml and Liam Strong Co-Production
Austria
Director: Valentin Blüml
Sound Award
Sponsored by Films at 59
ROCK POOL
SOUP Audiovisual
UK
Sound: Tom Bosher
Pangolin: Kulu’s Journey
An Anonymous Content / Dog Star Films / Water Creature Film / Production for Netflix
UK
Sound: Barry Donnelly
Our Oceans – Episode 1: Pacific
A Wild Space Production, In association with Freeborne Media and Higher Ground
UK
Sustainability Award
Pangolin Journey to Freedom
Snow Leopards with Dan O’Neill – Episode 1
Produced by Off the Fence for Love Nature
UK
Saalbach-Hinterglemm – Where Nature Comes Out On Top
A Co-Production of ORF UNIVERSUM and INTERSPOT FILM GMBH
Austria
Field Craft (Special Recognition)
This Field Craft (Special Recognition) award recognises the skill, craft and importance of local, in-country field crew within the natural history genre. Nominated and judged by industry peers, the award will celebrate an individual such as field guide, driver and local conservationist who has made a significant contribution to the industry spanning a number of years and productions.
This special recognition award seeks to celebrate those with specialist skills that do not always receive the recognition they deserve. The award is entirely free and there is no cost involved in making a nomination.
Eligibility Criteria
• Individuals must be nominated by an industry peer in order to be considered for this award.
• The nominated individual must have worked on a minimum of three productions.
• We actively encourage nominees who’s specialist skill does not always appear in production credits.
2025 Panda Award Ceremony Tickets
Join us on 22 October 2025 to find out this year’s winners! Tickets are now on sale for our most popular event of the year – the Panda Awards Ceremony and After Party.
Please note, Panda Awards Ceremony and After Party are not included in your Wildscreen Industry Summit ticket.
Location: Bristol Harbour Hotel, Bristol, UK
Sponsored by Warner Chappell Production Music
We’re thrilled to be supported by Warner Chappell Production Music as Headline Sponsor for our 2025 Panda Awards.
Warner Chappell Production Music provides an exceptional soundtrack to every story. Their diverse catalogue of 444,000+ tracks has every imaginable genre of music, as well as legacy Archive and Classical recordings.
Their in-house experts can support you throughout every step of your production process with personalised licensing advice, music curation, and bespoke composition tailored to your story.
”We’re thrilled to partner with Wildscreen for another year. Warner Chappell Production Music champions great storytelling, and we absolutely understand the value in educating and entertaining audiences through nature programming. The Panda Awards celebrate the dedication and hardwork of all the people behind-the-scenes and we’re honoured to be headline sponsor for the second year running.”
– Lina Tebbs, Director of UK Production Music
Panda Award 2025 Sponsors
Headline Sponsor:
Category Sponsors:
