August 5, JACKSON, WY. The Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival, (JHWFF) the premier event of its genre, has announced the 2015 finalists for its 13th biennial Festival. Winners will be unveiled in Jackson, Wy at the Grand Teton Awards Gala on Thursday, October 1st, 2015. The awards are one part of a five-day industry conference hosted at the Jackson Lake Lodge in the Grand Teton National Park, September 28-October 2, 2015, that attracts the leading filmmakers, organizations, scientists, broadcasters, and visionaries engaged in conservation and wildlife media.
This year’s submissions in the prestigious competition included nearly 1,000 category entries, a record number, competing for 23 special awards. This year’s finalists were selected by over 150 international judges who viewing 3200 hours of media. A distinguished panel of international judges immediately preceding the Festival will select the 2015 award winners. Finalists in Best Sound and Special Consideration will be announced shortly.
CONTENT CATEGORIES:
Best Animal Behavior Program
Brothers in Blood: The Lions of Sabi Sand Aquavision Television Productions
Disneynature Monkey Kingdom Disneynature
Life Story – First Steps BBC Natural History Unit, BBC Worldwide, Discovery, France TV and The Open University
Best Wildlife Habitat Program
Africa’s Giant Killers Icon Films in association with Natural History Film Unit Botswana, BBC and Animal Planet
Congo- Deep and Dangerous (Ep. 1) Doclights GmbH/NDR Naturfilm; Blue Planet Film, NDR, ARTE, ORF, WDR and National Geographic WILD
Vanishing Kings A co-production by ORF, Interspot Film, ARTE and Smithsonian Networks
Best Conservation Program (sponsored by Tangled Bank Studios)
I Bought a Rainforest KEO Films/The Open University for BBC Two
Racing Extinction Oceanic Preservation Society, Presented by Okeanos – Foundation for the Sea and the Discovery Channel. In association with Vulcan Productions, Earth Day Texas, JP’s Peace, Love & Happiness Foundation, Diamond Docs, and Insurgent Media
The Messenger Songbirdsos Productions Inc. and Films À Cinq/ARTE France
Best People & Nature Program (sponsored by The Nature Conservancy)
I Bought a Rainforest KEO Films/The Open University for BBC Two
India’s Wandering Lions Ammonite Ltd., Kosmik Global Pvt. Ltd., Earth Touch and Discovery Communications India
Natural World: The Bat Man of Mexico Windfall Films
Racing Extinction Oceanic Preservation Society, Presented by Okeanos – Foundation for the Sea and the Discovery Channel. In association with Vulcan Productions, Earth Day Texas, JP’s Peace, Love & Happiness Foundation, Diamond Docs, and Insurgent Media
Best Science and Nature Program (Sponsored by Marco Polo Films)
License to Krill DOX Productions Ltd, Films á Cinq, Arte France
Racing Extinction Oceanic Preservation Society, Presented by Okeanos – Foundation for the Sea and the Discovery Channel. In association with Vulcan Productions, Earth Day Texas, JP’s Peace, Love & Happiness Foundation, Diamond Docs, and Insurgent Media
THIN ICE—The Inside Story of Climate Science DOX Productions, Oxford University and Victoria University, Wellington
Conservation Hero (Sponsored by World Wildlife Fund)
E.O. Wilson—Of Ants and Men Shining Red Productions, Inc. for PBS
Natural World: The Bat Man of Mexico Windfall Films
Racing Extinction Oceanic Preservation Society, Presented by Okeanos – Foundation for the Sea and the Discovery Channel. In association with Vulcan Productions, Earth Day Texas, JP’s Peace, Love & Happiness Foundation, Diamond Docs, and Insurgent Media
Tiger Tiger George Butler/White Mountain Films
PROGRAM CATEGORIES:
Best Educational/Institutional Program (Sponsored by North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences)
An Elephants Tale: The Matriarch Wildlife Conservation Society
Disneynature Monkey Kingdom — A Conservation Story Disneynature
Great Transitions: The Origin of Birds Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Great Transitions: The Origin of Tetrapods Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Best Limited Series—Long Form (Sponsored by Universum/ORF)
Hidden Kingdoms BBC Natural History Unit, BBC Worldwide, Discovery Channel, France TV, CCTV
Life Story BBC Natural History Unit, BBC Worldwide, Discovery, France TV and The Open University
Your Inner Fish Tangled Bank Studios, Windfall Films for PBS
Best Limited Series—Short Form
Deep Look KQED, PBS Digital Studios
If Not Us Then Who? Handcrafted Films
Power of Nature BBC Earth Productions
Best Children’s Program (Sponsored by Boréales)
Naomi’s Nightmares of Nature Series 2—Central American Coast BBC
NATURE—A Sloth Named Velcro BelugaSmile Productions, LLC & THIRTEEN Productions LLC for the PBS Nature series
Secrets of Bumblebees A co-production by ORF and Power of Earth Productions in association with ORFEnterprise, bm:ukk and Kultur NÖ
The Marvelous Musical Report (of the Marine National Monuments) Open Boat Films, LLC, Sisbro Studios
Best Hosted or Presenter-led Program
David Attenborough’s Natural History Museum Alive 3D Colossus Productions, Sky and Atlantic Productions Host: David Attenborough
The Secret Life of Your House The Garden Productions Presenter: Dr. George McGavin
Your Inner Fish, Episode 1 Tangled Bank Studios, Windfall Films for PBS Presenter: Neil Shubin
Best Short Program Animated
Life: Pangea Howard Hughes Medical Institute & Sweet Fern Productions
Galapagos: Nature’s Wonderland Colossus Productions film in association with SKY 3D
Return of the Cicadas Samuel Orr
Best Short Short
Elephant’s Tale: Matriarch Wildlife Conservation Society
Power of Nature: Elephants BBC Earth Productions
Pygmy Seahorses: Masters of Camouflage KQED and PBS Digital Studios
Why Bears Wildlife Media & TriFilm
Best Theatrical Program (Sponsored by Terra Mater)
Disneynature Monkey Kingdom Disneynature
Racing Extinction Oceanic Preservation Society, Presented by Okeanos – Foundation for the Sea and the Discovery Channel. In association with Vulcan Productions, Earth Day Texas, JP’s Peace, Love & Happiness Foundation, Diamond Docs, and Insurgent Media
Unbranded Fin & Fur Films, Cedar Creek Productions, Implement Productions
Best Immersive (Sponsored by SkyScan)
David Attenborough’s Natural History Museum Alive 3D Colossus Productions, Sky and Atlantic Productions
Habitat Earth California Academy of Sciences
Humpback Whales MacGillivray Freeman Films, Pacific Life
Tiny Giants 3D BBC Earth Productions
Marian Zunz Newcomer
16 Legs: Spider Love Bookend Trust
Return of the River Elwafilm LLC
Sirocco—How a Dud Became a Stud Ashwika Kapur, Centre for Science Communication- Otago University
Best Interactive Media .
David Attenborough’s Natural History Museum Alive 3D App Atlantic Productions
PLUM LANDING WGBH Educational Foundation
The Evolution Lab NOVA
ZooMoo App ZooMoo Networks
CRAFT CATEGORIES:
Best Sound (Sponsored by Dolby Laboratories)
Finalists in this category will be announced shortly. Best Visualization
Hidden Kingdoms—Under Open Skies BBC Natural History Unit, BBC Worldwide, Discovery Channel, France TV, and CCTV Cinematography: Rod Clarke, Jonathan Jones, Alastair MacEwen, Mark Payne-Gill and Keith Brust
Life Story—First Steps BBC Natural History Unit, BBC Worldwide, Discovery, France TV and The Open University Cinematography: Mateo Willis, Mark Payne-Gill and Jamie McPherson
Wild Yellowstone—Frozen Frontier Brain Farm Digital Cinema for Nat Geo Wild and Terra Mater Factual Studios Cinematography: John Shier, Dawson Dunning, Curt Morgan. Aerial Cinematography: Nel Boshoff, Richard Burton, Greg Wheeler, Nick Wolcott; Additional Cinematography: Howard Bourne, Jeff Hogan, Theo Jebb
Best Editing (Sponsored by Sony Electronics)
Jago: A Life Underwater Underdog Films Production in association with James Morgan Films, Fantomline Pictures and Vistaar Productions Editor: Sam Rogers
NATURE—Touching the Wild Passion Planet & THIRTEEN Productions LLC for PBS Nature series Editor: Charles Davies
Wild Yellowstone—Frozen Frontier Brain Farm Digital Cinema for Nat Geo WILD and Terra Mater Studios Editor: James Taggart
Best Original Musical Score
David Attenborough’s Natural History Museum Alive 3D Colossus Productions, Sky and Atlantic Productions Composer: Ilan Eshkeri
Disneynature Monkey Kingdom Disneynature Composer: Harry Gregson-Williams
Poached Ignite Channel and Doc Life Films Composer: Mark Orton
Wonders of the Monsoon: The Drought BBC Natural History Unit, BBC Worldwide and Discovery Composer: Nitin Sawhney
Best Writing
E.O. Wilson—Of Ants and Men Shining Red Productions, Inc. for PBS Writer: Graham Townsley
Return of the River Elwafilm LLC Writer: Jessica Plumb
Your Inner Fish, Episode 1 Tangled Bank Studios, Windfall Films for PBS Writer: David Dugan
The Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival and gala takes place during a week of critical importance in the industry: the Festival, The Elephant Summit and the Conservation Summit. The events of the JHWFF attract a world-class audience and participation from key influencers in the conservation community. Again this year, a series of community screenings in Jackson are planned. For tickets, sponsorship, or conference attendance, please call 307-733-7016 or visit http://www.jhfestival.org/2015-festival.html
