Wildscreen Panda Awards 2026 Nominees Announced
Find out who the nominees are for the Wildscreen 2026 Panda Awards!
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Wildscreen Panda Awards 2025 Nominees Announced
Nat Geo dominates with a record-breaking 14 nominations!
Wildscreen, has revealed the nominees for its Panda Awards 2025 – the highest honours in the international natural world storytelling film, TV and content industry.
Nat Geo racked up nominations across 9 of the 17 award categories, with a full-house in the Series category, sponsored by Doclights, with A Real Bug’s Life, Series 2 (Plimsoll Productions), Secrets of the Penguins (Talesmith) and OceanXplorers (co-produced by BBC Studios Natural History Unit and OceanX).
Silverback Films picks up the most nominations for a single production company, garnering 7 nominations across 3 titles. Amongst them, Ocean with David Attenborough, the Silverback Films and Open Planet Studios co-production, in association with All3Media International, National Geographic, and Minderoo Pictures, is the most nominated production, with 5 nods spanning Scripted Narrative, Cinematography, Music, Producer/Director and Impact.
Joining the ocean-focused nominees is Netflix’s docuseries, Our Oceans (Wild Space Productions), with 2 nominations, alongside OceanXplorers, Tides of Life and Sea Lions of the Galapagos.
Joint second most nominated, with 3 nods each are Underdogs, A Real Bug’s Life, Series 2 and The Birds. Underdogs, a co-production from Ryan Reynolds’ Maximum Effort and Wildstar Films, celebrates nature’s unsung and unconventional heroes and is narrated by the actor. A Real Bug’s Life (Plimsoll Productions), is an adventure into different micro bug worlds around the globe, narrated by Awkwafina, and is recognised across Cinematography, Children’s and Series. The Birds (Passion Planet and HHMI Tangled Bank Studios in association with Ammonite Films) is a cinematic providing insights into the mechanisms of the natural world and a filmmaker in the twilight of this career.
The Birds is nominated in the new for 2025, Independent category, alongside Trade Secret and The Old Bear. Trade Secret, Directed by Abraham Joffe and Executive Produced by Adam McKay, exposes the sanctioned commercial sale of hundreds of polar bears on the global market each year. The Old Bear, Directed, Written and Produced by Julie Busse & Candice Odgers and featuring Casey Anderson which meditates on the last days of old grizzly bears as a window into exploring human attitudes about aging and death.
This year’s Awards also see the introduction of the Short category sponsored by Leica for productions less than 20 minutes in length, reflecting the importance of connecting with younger audiences – the nominees are Tides of Life, Life (Cycle) of the Hong Kong Newt, and H5N1 Conservation in Crisis. Another new addition, best In-Country Production, recognises productions made on location in-country with at least 50 percent of the production team being in-country nationals – the nominees are The Birds, My Otter Diary, Mighty Monkeys.
The use of A-list narrators features throughout the awards line-up with other notable productions including Tom Hardy (Rhino), Tom Hanks (Americas), James Cameron (OceanXplorer), Barack Obama (Our Oceans), Brendan Fraser (Sea Lions of the Galapagos) and Blake Lively (Secrets of the Penguins), reflecting a drive to reach and inspire new audiences worldwide.
The competition saw 682 entries, from 46 countries across the 17 categories, with 48% of entries featuring talent from underrepresented backgrounds spanning, identify as BIPOC, female, part of the LGBTQ+ community or living with a disability. The nomination jury was representative of industry experts from 20 countries, with over 60% from underrepresented backgrounds.
This, the competition’s 43rd Edition marks its move to an annual awards event for the first time in the charity’s history. The Panda Awards will sit alongside the new Wildscreen Industry Summit, taking place in Bristol and online between 20-22 October in Bristol, which will convene the wildlife film, TV and content community to navigate the challenges and opportunities of a content world in flux. A limited number of passes are on sale now, here.
Warner Chappell Production Music returns as Headline Sponsor of the Wildscreen Panda Awards 2025. The music publishing arm of Warner Music Group, will be hosting an official nominees party later today (8 July) in Bristol, UK.
Lina Tebbs, Director of UK Production Music said: “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.”
The winners of each category along with the highly coveted Golden Panda for the best overall production, also sponsored by Warner Chappell Production Music, will be announced on 22 October at Wildscreen Panda Awards Ceremony which returns to the Bristol Harbour Hotel. Tickets for the ceremony are now on sale and available here.
Other category sponsors are: Films at 59 Cinematography and Sound Awards, UWE On-Screen Talent Award, Leica Short Award, Doclights Series Award and Wildscreen ARK Children’s Award.
The full list of nominees across the 17 categories are:
BEHAVIOUR AWARD
Katavi Africa’s Fallen Paradise – Episode 2: Purgatory
A production of Terra Mater Studios, The WNET Group & Shibumi Films. In association with PBS and CPB and WDR/ARTE.
Austria
Our Oceans – Episode 1: Atlantic Ocean
A Wild Space Production. In association with Freeborne Media and Higher Ground.
UK
Sea Lions of the Galapagos
A Silverback Films production for Disneynature and Disney+.
UK
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
America’s Wolf
National Geographic Society Impact Story Lab
USA
FYI INVESTIGATES – Saving Nature: Where has our Wildlife Gone?
A Fresh Start Media Production for Sky News and Sky Kids
UK
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
Cinematography: Martin Dohrn, Laurence Hamilton-Baillie, Hugh Campbell, Steve White, John Waters
EDITING AWARD
Secrets of the 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
Underdogs: Superzeroes
Produced by Wildstar Films, a Fremantle company, in partnership with Maximum Effort for National Geographic
UK
Editor: Nigel Buck
EMERGING TALENT AWARD
Death Row Dogs – Somerset Phaedrus
The National Film and Television School
UK
The Fading Star – Aishwarya Sridhar
Bambee Studios Private Limited in association with the National Geographic Society
India
The Bird in my Backyard – Ryan Wilkes
A Trochilus Films Production for CBC
Canada
IMPACT AWARD
Kingdom of Fish – Episode 1: The Power of Water
Ecofilm Scandinavia AB and Sveriges Television AB
Sweden
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
IN-COUNTRY AWARD, Sponsored by VI Rental
My Otter Diary
An Aranya Parva and Oxford Scientific Films film for All3Media and ZDF/ARTE.
India
The Birds
A Production of Passion Planet and HHMI Tangled Bank Studios in association with Ammonite Films.
UK
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.
Australia
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
My Otter Diary
An Aranya Parva and Oxford Scientific Films film for All3Media and ZDF/ARTE
India
Music: Brollyman
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
Pangolin: Kulu’s Journey
An Anonymous Content / Dog Star Films / Water Creature Film / Production for Netflix.
UK
Music: Anne Nikitin featuring Zolani Mahola & Sky Dladla
ON-SCREEN TALENT AWARD, Sponsored by UWE
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 1: 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 Pictures
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
Producer / Director: Pippa Ehrlich
Underdogs: Superzeroes
Produced by Wildstar Films, a Fremantle company, in partnership with Maximum Effort for National Geographic
UK
Producer / Director: Gary Smith
PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT TEAM AWARD
Secret Lives of Animals
Produced by BBC Studios Natural History Unit for Apple TV +
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
Shared Planet: Forests
A River Road Films production produced in association with CBC, PBS and Arte.
Canada
Production Management: Armen Evrensel, Jeff Turner, Neil Nightingale, Lynn Fuhr, Production Coordinator Matthew Muncaster
The Americas – Episode 2: Mexico
BBC Studios Natural History Unit, in association with Universal Television Alternative Studio, a division of Universal Studio Group.
UK / USA
Production Management: Alex Martin, Ally Young, Anna McGill, Claire Spelling, Emma Davidson, Gaby Wakefield, Hollie Diment, Jasmine McCrae-Jones, Jo Verity, Jordan White, Judy Roberts, Lisa Sibbald, Lizzie Derry, Louise Dawe-Lane, Melissa Burgers, Nicola Kowalski, Rachel Buxton, Sandra Forbes, Sophie Johnson, Sue Aartse-Tuyn, Tom Bowell, Zaylin September
SCRIPTED NARRATIVE 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
Scripted Narrative: David Attenborough, Toby Nowlan, Keith Scholey, Colin Butfield.
Secret Lives of Orangutans
A Silverback Films Production for Netflix.
UK
Scriptwriter: Huw Cordey
Underdogs: Terrible Parents
Produced by Wildstar Films, a Fremantle company, in partnership with Maximum Effort for National Geographic
UK
Writer: Polly Billam
SERIES AWARD, Sponsored by Doclights
A Real Bug’s Life Series 2
Plimsoll Productions 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
Secrets of the Penguins
Produced by Talesmith in association with Lightstorm Earth for National Geographic.
UK
SHORT AWARD, Sponsored by Leica
Tides of Life
University of the West of England
UK
Director: Tatiana McCabe
Life (Cycle) of a 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
SOUNDS AWARD, Sponsored by Films at 59
Our Oceans – Episode 1: Pacific Ocean
A Wild Space Production, In association with Freeborne Media and Higher Ground.
UK
Sound: Sound Editors: Jonny Crew, Tom Mercer; Foley Recordist: George Baynes: Foley Artist: Rory Joseph; Foley Editor: Ellie Bowler; Dubbing Mixer: Hannah Gregory
Pangolin: Kulu’s Journey
An Anonymous Content / Dog Star Films / Water Creature Film / Production for Netflix.
UK
Sound: Barry Donnelly
ROCK POOL
SOUP Audiovisual
UK
Sound: Tom Bosher
SUSTAINABILITY AWARD
Pangolin Journey to Freedom
A Terra Mater Studios / Silver Bullet Films Production in co-produciton with The WNET Group in association with PBS and CPB.
Austria
Saalbach-Hinterglemm – Where Nature Comes Out On Top
A Co-Production of ORF UNIVERSUM and INTERSPOT FILM GMBH
Austria
Snow Leopards with Dan O’Neill – Episode 1
Produced by Off the Fence for Love Nature
UK