Jackson WildTM has announced the 2022 winners for the World Wildlife Day Film Showcase, which features films that align with this year's World Wildlife Day Theme: Recovering Key Species for Ecosystem Restoration. The showcase was organized by the Jackson Wild, The Secretariat of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
"As we live in a world that has become increasingly isolated over the past two years, powerful stories can connect us with each other, as well as ignite the spirit of sustainability and conservation in new audiences," said Lisa Samford, Executive Director of Jackson Wild. "Our hope is that these stories demonstrate that despite the immense challenges we face, there are ongoing efforts and successful models to look to, as communities work to build a sustainable, conservation-driven future."
"In 2022, we must finally dispel the false dichotomy that there is a 'zero-sum game' of wildlife versus livelihoods; or protecting ecosystems versus the economy, " said Midori Paxton, Head of Biodiversity and Ecosystems, UNDP. "This year's World Wildlife Day theme, and this showcase of powerful films, is an opportunity to reinforce the message that we must invest in the protection and restoration of ecosystems as part of effective solutions to respond to closely linked crises of poverty, global health, biodiversity loss, and the changing climate."
"At its best, film has the ability to provoke our emotions and move us to action," says CITES Secretary-General Ivonne Higuero, "In these captivating films, each of our winners has shown they can do that in the service of conservation. I congratulate them and urge them to keep working to meet our shared goals of ecosystem restoration."
Finalist films are available to screen for free until May 15th in the hopes of continuing to spread the message that species restoration is essential to human's social and economic well-being, in addition to the planet's environmental health.
World Wildlife Day 2022 Film Showcase Winners:
The Web of Life (Long Form) Sponsored by: HHMI Tangled Bank Studios
The Otter, A Legend Returns
Hilco Jansma Productions, EO (Evangelische Omroep), In cooperation with Ispida
Wildlife Productions
The Web of Life (Short Form) Sponsored by: HHMI Tangled Bank Studios
The Common Ground
Conor Ferris, National Film and Television School
Stories of Hope (Long Form) Sponsored by: Terra Mater Factual Studios
Endangered
The Natural History Unit BBC Studios and A Very Good Production for Discovery+
Stories of Hope (Short Form) Sponsored by: Terra Mater Factual Studios
Mexico City and its Sacred Salamanders
bioGraphic, Katie Garrett
Species in Crisis (Long Form) Sponsored by: Discovery
Sea of Shadows
Terra Mater Factual Studios in association with Appian Way, Malaika Pictures, The
Wild Lens Collective for National Geographic Documentary Films
Species in Crisis (Short Form) Sponsored by: Discovery
Last Wild Places: Majete
National Geographic Society Impact Media Lab
People & Threatened Species (Long Form) Sponsored by: San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance
The Witness is a Whale
A co-production of Spindrift Images, Terra Mater Factual Studios and Mark
Fletcher Productions
People & Threatened Species (Short Form) Sponsored by: San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance
Wild Innovators: Beyond the Boma
Wild Elements Studios
Micro Movie Sponsored by: Burgenland
The Turtleman
Jigar Ganatra, African School Of Storytelling
Wake Up & Smell the Flowers
Yaz Ellis
