Wildscreen PANDA AWARDS
Celebrating the Best in Natural World Storytelling.
Discover the Wildscreen Panda Award Nominees 2024.
Winners will be announced at the Wildscreen Panda Awards Ceremony on Thursday 17th October 2024.
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.
The competition comprises of 14 categories and three special awards, including the coveted Golden Panda for the best overall production.
The 2024 competition also welcomes the return of the Children’s Award, recognising the importance of connecting younger generations with nature, and a new Special Recognition Award for Field Craft to recognise the skill, craft and importance of local, in-country field crew within the natural history genre.
Trophies
Were you nominated, selected or a winner for one of our competitions? Order duplicate certificates and trophies for the rest of your team before Fri 28 Oct.
Sponsored by Warner Chappell Production Music
We’re thrilled to announce that Warner Chappell Production Music as Headline Sponsor for this years Panda Awards at Wildscreen Festival 2024 on 14 – 18 October.
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.
”At Warner Chappell Production Music we know great stories don’t just happen. As the Panda Awards headline sponsor, we want to honour and celebrate nature’s symphony and all the exceptional hard work and effort Wildscreen’s incredible community goes into telling nature’s stories.”
– Lina Tebbs, Director of UK Production Music
Submitting Your Film
Submtting your film for consideration in Wildscreen’s 2024 Panda Awards has never been simpler.
Now accepting submissions exclusively through Filmfreeway, our Earlybird submission discount window opens January 23rd, and will remain open till February 23rd.
Submissions will of course stay open after this date, though at a slightly higher price, until our final Late deadline closes on May 10th. So what are you waiting for? Get those submissions in!
Rules & Guidelines for 2024 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 23rd – Regular Window Opens & Earlybird Window Shuts
- April 12th – Late Window Opens & Regular Window Shuts
- May 10th – Final deadline for entries
Submitting Your Film
Submitting your film for consideration in Wildscreen’s 2024 Panda Awards has never been simpler.
Now accepting submissions exclusively through FilmFreeway, our Earlybird submission discount window is now open, and will remain open till February 23rd.
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. You can also listen to them as an accessible audio recording.
All submissions can be made through our submissions portal on FilmFreeway.
Important Dates
- January 23rd – Earlybird Window Opens
- February 23rd – Regular Window Opens & Earlybird Window Shuts
- April 12th – Late Window Opens & Regular Window Shuts
- May 10th – Final deadline for entries
Field Craft (Special Recognition)
This brand new 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.
Panda Awards 2024
Congratulations to the outstanding productions nominated for the 2024 Panda Awards.
Out of the 300+ submissions from 37 countries, these final 36 shorts, features and series shone the brightest, featured the very best craft and surprised our jury with their achievements.
Golden Panda Award Sponsored by Warner Chappell Production Music
My Garden of a Thousand Bees
Passion Planet, The WNET Group, HHMI Tangled Bank Studios in association with Ammonite Films
United Kingdom
Panda in the Pocket Award
The Bastard King
Terra Mater Studios, Bonne Pioche, Shibumi Films
Austria, Germany, France
Behaviour Award
Lions of the Skeleton Coast
Into Nature Productions
Austria/Netherlands
Wild Secrets – Between Water and Woods
Doclights
Germany
Raptors – A fistful of Daggers – Episode 1: Meet the Raptors
Terra Mater and Dandy Lion Films
Austria
Secret World of Sound with David Attenborough – Episode 2: Love and Rivals
Humble Bee Films and Infield Fly Productions
United Kingdom
Children's Award
Sponsored by Wildscreen ARK
Dr Mark’s Animal Show
Wild Africa
South Africa/Nigeria
Save our Wildlife
Fresh Start Media
United Kingdom
A Real Bug’s Life – Episode: The Big City
Plimsoll Productions
United Kingdom
Cinematography Award
Sponsored by Films at 59
Unwavering
Chris Schmid Studio
Key Cinematography Credit: Chris Schmid
Switzerland
Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story
A Silverback Films Production for National Geographic
Director of Photography: Charlie Hamilton James
Additional Photography: Johnny Rolt, Bertie Gregory
United Kingdom
Wild Isles: Ocean
Silverback Films
Photography: Doug Anderson Additional Photography: Bertie Gregory, Charlie Hamilton-James Darren Williams, Jacca Deeble, Jesse Wilkinson, Jo Charlesworth, Steven McGee-Callender, Tom Walker
United Kingdom
Editing Award
Chimp Empire – Episode 1
Underdog, KEO Films, for Netflix
Key Editor: Sam Rogers
United Kingdom
Earthsounds
Offspring Films
Key Editor: Alex Boyle
United Kingdom
Tiger
Disney Nature
Key Editor: Nigel Buck BFE
United Kingdom
Emerging Talent Award
Hugh Allen
For the film The Thin Green Line
National Film & Television School
United Kingdom, Cyprus
Erica Rugabandana
For the film Living with Lions (Kuishi Na Simba)
Curiosity Stream, Ouragan Films, Siima Media
Tanzania
Dan Short
For the film Intercellular
UWE
United Kingdom
Impact Award
Sponsored by Save Our Seas Foundation
PATROL
Juli Films, Perpetuo Films
Nicaragua, United States
We are Guardians
Appain Way, Random Good, Highly Flammable, Midia Indigena, One Forest
United States
RHINO MAN
The Global Conservation Corps
United States, South Africa
Music Award
Chimp Empire – Episode 1
Underdog, KEO Films, for Netflix
Composer: William Goodchild
United Kingdom
Mammals – Forest
BBC Natural History Unit, BBC America, ZDF, Youku, France Télévisions for BBC
Composer: Thomas Farnon
United Kingdom
Living with Leopards
Wild Space Productions in association with Natural History Film Unit & Freeborne Media, for Netflix
Composer: Paul Leonard-Morgan
Additional music: Mike MacLennan
United Kingdom
On-Screen Talent Award
Sponsored by University of the West of England
Eoin Warner
In Ireland’s Wild Islands – Episode 3: Echoes of the Past
Crossing The Line Productions
Ireland
Hamza Yassin
In Hamza: Strictly Birds of Prey
Silverback Films
United Kingdom
Malaika Vaz
In Sacrifice Zone
Untamed Planet in association with the National Geographic Society
United States
Bertie Gregory
In Animals Up Close with Bertie Gregory – Episode: Antarctic Killer Waves
Wildstar Films, National Geographic
United Kingdom
Producer / Director Award
Sponsored by Passion Pictures
Thomas Winston
For Mollie’s Pack
Grizzly Creek Films and IMAX Original Documentaries
United States
James Reed & Callum Webster
For Chimp Empire – Episode 4
Underdog Films, Keo Films, for Netflix
United Kingdom
Charlie Hamilton-James & Jeff Wilson
For Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story
A Silverback Films Production for National Geographic
United Kingdom
Production Management Team Award
Sponsored by Humble Bee Films
Queens
Wildstar Films, National Geographic
Cleone Fox, Miranda Pincott, Tamsyn Black, Jodie Fowler, Melanie Thomas, Carlee Ann Davis, Kathryn Mavor, Rita Aspinall, Alice Beer, Fiona Capener, Charli Swinson, Jodie Fowler, Francesca Milano, Summer Paliunyte, Becca Rosenberg, Emma Warner, Rebecca Wootton, Mandy Knight, Linda Stephens
United Kingdom
Frozen Planet II
BBC Natural History Unit
Kate Horvath, Jane Greenford, Karmen Summers, Caroline Cox, Helen Bishop, Emily Humphrey, Ellie Pinnock, Ashley Noulty
United Kingdom
The Earthshot Prize 2023
Studio Silverback
Helen Healy, Claire Whitby-Smith, Laura Meacham, Jen Bollom, Gabi Domonkos, Eleanor Perryman, Jenna Winstanley, Sara da Luz Roberts, Elliot Jenkins, Tarryne Wills, Laurie Jones
United Kingdom
Scripted Narrative Award
Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story
A Silverback Films Production for National Geographic
Key Scriptwriter(s): Charlie Hamilton James
United Kingdom
WILDING
Passion Planet, HHMI Tangled Bank Studios
Key Scriptwriter: David Allen
United Kingdom
Tiger
Wildstar Films, Disney Nature
Key Scriptwriter: Mark Linfield
United Kingdom
Series Award
Sponsored by NDR
Planet Earth III
BBC Studios Natural History Unit, co-produced by BBC America, ZDF, FTV and The Open University
United Kingdom
Queens
Wildstar Films, National Geographic
United Kingdom
The Great Rhino Robbery
BBC Studios Documentary Unit
United Kingdom
Australia’s Wild Odyssey
Wild Pacific Media
Australia
Sound Award
Sponsored by Films at 59
Tiger
Wildstar Films
Sound Design: Kate Hopkins RDI, AMPS, Tim Owens, Ben Pearce, David E. Fluhr CAST
United Kingdom/India
Secrets from a Forest
Sound Design: Joe Siddons, Simon Weir & Sound Team
United Kingdom
A Call from the Wild
Artic Light co-produced by Doclights, in association with NDR, Terra Mater Studios, and SVT
Sound Design: Anders Tveten, Erik Watland
Re-recording mixer: Bent Holm, Anders Tveten
Norway/Germany
Sustainability Award
Sponsored by Aurum Kaleidoscope Foundation
PIRARUCU, The Breath of the Amazon
Banksia Films
Brazil
Common Ground
Big Picture Ranch
United States
Wild Isles: Saving our Wild Isles
Silverback Films
United Kingdom
The Watches 2023
BBC Studios Natural History Unit
United Kingdom
Festival Advisory Board Outstanding Achievement
Production Management
“This award for Outstanding Achievement is to recognise each and every member of Production Management in each and every company whose mission it is to give voice to the wonders and trials of our planet.” – Jeff Wilson
Planet Earth
Chris Parsons' Outstanding Achievement Award
Janet Han Vissering
“This award is given in recognition of your significant contribution to wildlife filmmaking, conservation and the public’s understanding of the environment.” – Bertie Gregory
Lifetime Achievement Award
Miles Barton
The Lifetime Achievement Award was presented by Mike Gunton on behalf of Wildscreen to honour the exceptional work and life of Miles Barton. Alex Barton collected the award on behalf of Miles at the Panda Awards Ceremony.
Panda Awards Jury
Wildscreen has assembled industry experts across all crafts, fields and countries to help select the very best productions of the past two years.
We would like to thank our dedicated jury members for their time, expertise and careful consideration!
Final Jury
Once our nominees had been decided, our Final Jury were assembled to carefully deliberate the winner of each of our Panda Awards.
Vanessa Berlowitz (Chair)
Co-Founder & Chief Creative Officer, Wildstar Films (UK)
Alex Soullier
Producer, Bonne Pioche (France)
Pragna Parsotam-Kok
Producer & Storyteller, NEWF (South Africa)
Richard Ladkani
Director & Cinematographer (Austria)
Ruth Berry
Director/ Producer (Austria)
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Nomination Jury
The first round of judging in the Panda Awards was coordinated by the Nomination Jury, a large international team of experienced judges, divided into category specialities, who reviewed each submission and agreed upon a top 3 nominees per award.
Ruth Berry (Chair of Nomination Jury)
"This year’s diversity of subject matter and film makers brought 700 entries from 38 countries. Covid continued to bring us closer to our own backyards, inspiring intimate storytelling experiences and some brave experiments... Judging hundreds of films and discussing their merits is challenging and time consuming. But judges unanimously agreed that it was a wonderful experience. "
Alex Tate
Head of Development, True to Nature
Andres Sehinkman
Director, Planta Alta
Aner Etxebarria Moral
Conservation and Anthropology Filmmaker
Ashwika Kapur
Director/Producer
Axel Drioli
Director/ Wildlife Sound Recordist, Sounding Wild
Barnaby Taylor
Composer, Barnaby Taylor Music Ltd.
Candice Odgers
Editor/Producer, Think Lemonade Productions
Caroline Brett
Producer/Director/Writer, Shake the Tree Productions
Chris Scarffe
Director, Chris Scarffe Film & Photography Ltd
Ester De Roij
Shooting AP, BBC
Faith Musembi
Producer Director, Wildstar Films Ltd.
Georg Michael Fischer
Film Editor
Hana Canter
COO, Wild Space Productions
Helen Wallbank
Production Manager, BBC Studios
Ivo Filatsch
Executive Producer, Terra Mater Studios
Jamie McPherson
Director of Photography
Jo Avery
João Paulo Krajewski
DOP, Natural History Brazil
Jolene Gallet
Production Manager
Jonny Gunton
Kat Gomero
Associate Video Producer, WCS
Laura Harris
Head of Development, BBC Studios NHU
Max Phillips
Commercial Operations Lead, Ecologi
Mel Rodrigues
Founder, Gritty Talent
Norio Matsumura
Producer, NHK Enterprises
Robert Hicks
Composer
Roger Webb
Executive Producer, BBC Studios NHU
Rosemary Edwards
Executive Producer, BBC Studios
Roser Canela-Mas
Sustainability Consultant for Film & TV
Rosie Thomas
Producer/Director, BBC Studios
Rutendo Shackleton
Natural History Presenter
Sabrina Scollan
Development Producer, True to Nature
Sarah Bright
Editor and DIT, Co-Founder at Cunning Media
Surane Weerasinghe
Digital Producer, Love Nature, Blue Ant Media
Photo Jury
Assembled to select the very best natural world stories for the Photo Story Award, our Photo Jury of esteemed experts spans across three continents and boasts award-winning photographers, head curators and visual narrative specialists. Thank you to our Photo Jury for selecting our incredible Photo Story Nominees!
Kaitlin Yarnall
(Photo Jury Chair) Chief Storytelling Officer, National Geographic Society
Azu Nwagbogu
Director, African Artists’ Foundation, LagosPhoto Festival, Artbase Africa
Ami Vitale
Photographer, National Geographic, Nikon
Laurent Ballesta
Photographer, Co-Creator, Andromède Océanologie
