The 2011 Festival competition included 510 films from more than 30 countries entering 800 categories—a record number of submissions competing for 22 special category awards. Nearly 100 judges from North America, Europe, Asia and Africa participated in the preliminary selections. The 2011 award winners were selected by a distinguished panel in Jackson Hole preceding the five-day industry conference held in Grand Teton Park at the Jackson Lake Lodge, and announced at the Festival Awards Gala on Thursday, October 6th.
Grand Teton Award
Sponsored by Panasonic Solutions
WINNER
Broken Tail
Crossing the Line Films & Nature for WNET New York Public Media
Entry # 11072
Broken Tail
Crossing the Line Films & Nature for WNET New York Public Media
Entry # 11072
Special Jury Awards
Sponsored by Aerial Filmworks
African Cats
Disneynature Productions, Owen Newman & Sophie Darlington, Principal Camera; Simon Werry, Aerial Camera; Simon King Specialist Camera Entry #11068 |
The Story of Everything
Darlow Smithson Productions, Susan Winslow, Ben Bowie, John Smithson, Pete Farrer, Mark Sherwood, Leila Nicotera, Iain Riddick, Dinos Sofos, Jovan Ajder, Rada Danilovic, Phitz Hearne, Ben Harding & Nick Kershaw, Sheridan Tongue Entry #11371 |
Worm Hunters
Gulliver Media Australia, Pty, Ltd Entry #11070 |
Best Animal Behavior Program
WINNER
LIFE: Reptiles And Amphibians BBC Natural History Unit, Discovery Channel, SKAI Open University, & BBC Worldwide Entry #11398 |
Wings of Life
Disneynature & Blacklight Films, Bliss, Music Entry #11079 |
Leopard Queen
Aquavision Productions Entry #11452 |
Best Conservation Program
Sponsored by Denver Museum of Nature & Science
WINNER
Broken Tail Crossing the Line Films & Nature for WNET New York Public Media Entry #11072 |
Project Manta
Kaufmann Productions Pty, Ltd., WDR & ARTE in Association with National Geographic Channel & Australian Broadcasting Corporation Entry #11010 |
Powering The Future:
Leading The Charge Discovery Studios for Discovery Channel Entry #11370 |
Snake Man (L'Homme Aux Serpents)
Reco Films & TS Productions Entry #11474 |
Best People & Nature Program
Sponsored by the Nature Conservancy
WINNER
Human Planet - Rivers: Friend And Foe BBC Wales, BBC Natural History Unit, Discovery Channel, & BBC Worldwide Entry #11159 |
There Once Was An Island: Te Henua E Nnoho
On the Level Productions Entry #11344 |
Lion Warriors
Original Godal Productions for National Geographic Channel Entry #11007 |
Best Science & Nature Program
Sponsored by Howard Hughes Medical Institute
WINNER
Decoding Immortality December Films, Pemberton Films, & Smithsonian Networks Entry #11356 |
Amazing Plants
Von Matthey Films, Smithsonian Networks, & Parthenon Entertainment Entry #11329 |
Worm Hunters
Gulliver Media Australia, Pty, Ltd Entry #11070 |
Best Wildlife Habitat Program
Sponsored by FootageBank HD
WINNER
Radioactive Wolves EPO Film for ORF/Universum, NDR & Nature for WNET New York Public Media Entry #11190 |
Madagascar: Island Of Marvels
BBC Natural History Unit, Animal Planet & BBC Worldwide Entry #11332 |
Wild Hungary: A Water Wonderland
Azara Film in association with NDR Naturfilm Studio Hamburg DocLights Entry #11180 |
Best Earth Sciences Program
Sponsored by Marco Polo
WINNER
Sea Rex 3D: Journey To A Prehistoric World N3D Land Productions & Mantello Brothers Productions Entry #11125 |
Haiti's Killer Quake: Why It Happened
Pioneer Productions & Discovery Channel Entry #11369 |
Icelandic Volcanoes: Who Is Next?
Saint Thomas Productions Entry #11150 |
Into Iceland's Volcano
Scandinature Films USA, Profilm & National Geographic Channels Entry #11468 |
Conservation Hero
Sponsored by Disneynature
WINNER
Elsa: The Lioness That Changed The World Brian Leith Productions, BBC & Nature for WNET New York Public Media Entry #11270 |
Africa's Lost Eden
National Geographic Television Entry #11375 |
Braving Iraq
Aqua Vita Films, Nature for WNET New York Public Media & BBC Entry #11384 |
The Man Who Stopped
The Desert 1080 Films Entry #11048 |
Best Children's Program
Sponsored by Teton Science Schools
WINNER
The Riddle Solvers: The Shark Riddle Sisbro Studios & The Save Our Seas Foundation Entry #11139 |
My Pantanal
Panthera Entry #11017 |
Turtle Vision
nWave Pictures Distribution Entry #11339 |
Best Limited Series
Sponsored by Terra Mater Factual Studios
WINNER
Human Planet BBC, Discovery Channel, France Televisions and BBC Worldwide Entry #11274 |
Life Force
NHK, NHNZ, France Televisions, Animal Planet and Science Channels Entry #11242 |
Life
BBC Natural History Unit, Discovery Channel, Open University, SKAI & BBC Worldwide Entry #11405 |
Best 3D Program
Sponsored by GoPro
WINNER
Flying Monsters 3D National Geographic and Atlantic Entertainment for SKY 3D Entry #11470 |
Born To Be Wild 3D
Animal Orphans 3D Ltd & Warner Bros. Pictures Entry #11411 |
Meerkats 3D
Oxford Scientific Films in association with Principal Large Format for National Geographic Channels and SKY 3D Entry #11407 |
Best Cultural Institution Media Installation
Sponsored by North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences
WINNER
Whales To Windmills: Inventions Inspired By The Sea Monterey Bay Aquarium Entry #11228 |
Natural Selection Game
Denver Museum of Nature & Science Entry #11454 |
Seeing Death Valley
Death Valley National Park and North Shore Productions Entry #11456 |
Best Fulldome Program
Sponsored by Global Immersion
WINNER
Life: A Cosmic Story California Academy of Sciences Entry #11283 |
All We Are
Norrkopings Visualiseringscenter & Norrkoping Entry #11363 |
We Are Astronomers
NSC Creative Entry #11311 |
Best Hosted or Presenter-Led Program
Sponsored by Animal Planet
WINNER
Broken Tail Crossing the Line Films & Nature for WNET New York Public Media Entry #11072 |
Into The Dragon's Lair
Foster Brothers Film for NHU Africa Entry #11060 |
Echo: An Unforgettable Elephant
Mike Birkhead Associates and Nature for WNET New York Public Media/BBC Natural World Entry #11312 |
Marian Zunz Newcomer Award
Sponsored by the Discovery Channel
WINNER
Helgoland: Island In The Storm Robert Morgenstern, Studio Hamburg DocLights Naturfilm Entry #11210 |
Albatrocity
Edward Saltau & Iain Frengley Entry #11298 |
Feeding The Problem
Danny Schmidt, ColorBURN Productions, LLC Entry #11144 |
A Wedged Tale
Adam Perou Hermans & Simon Cherriman, AT Films & iNSiGHT Ornithology Entry #11040 |
Best Short Program
Sponsored by National Geographic
WINNER
Finned Mill Valley Film Group Entry #11176 |
Gloop
Gaby Bastyra & Joe Churchman Entry #11167 |
In The Wake Of Giants
Akua Films Entry #11247 |
Best Short Shorts Program
Sponsored by Natural History New Zealand
WINNER
UN International Year of Forests/Mensch Wald: Inspiration Traffic Konzept + Film GmbH Entry #11498 |
Animal Beatbox
Damon Gameau, RGM Artists Group Entry #11478 |
Change For The Oceans
Free Range Studios for Monterey Bay Aquarium Entry #11115 |
Manatees Ecofact
Untamed Science & Save Our Seas Foundation Entry #11200 |
Best Theatrical Program
Sponsored by Off the Fence Productions
WINNER
The Last Lions Wildlife Films and National Geographic, Susan Scott & Candice Odgers, Editors, Alex Wurman, Music Entry #11042 |
African Cats
Disneynature Productions Entry #11068 |
One Life
Magic Light Pictures & BBC Earth Films Entry #11346 |
Best Interactive/New Media Program
Sponsored by ARKive
WINNER
One Ocean Interactive Merit Motion Pictures & Tactica Interactive for CBC & The Nature of Things Entry #11078 |
Who Do You Think You
Really Are? Natural History Museum, BBC Natural History Unit, BBC Research & Development, TraceMedia, Shadow Industries, IVC, Melford Electronics Ltd., Pentagram, Cultural Innovation, & Wellcome Trust Entry #11492 |
Wild Kratts:
Whale OF A Squid Kratt Brothers Company Ltd. & 9 Story Entertainment Inc. Entry #11451 |
Best Cinematography
Sponsored by FujiFilm Optical Devices
WINNER
Life: Challenges of Life BBC Natural History Unit, Discovery Channel, Open University, SKAI & BBC Worldwide Entry #11439 |
African Cats
Disneynature Productions, Owen Newman & Sophie Darlington, Principal Camera; Simon Werry, Aerial Camera; Simon King Specialist Camera Entry #11068 |
Human Planet: Arctic, Life in the Deep Freeze
BBC, Discovery Channel, France Televisions and FBBC Worldwide, Matt Norman, Doug Allan, and William Edwards, Cinematography, Nicholas Brown, Writing Entry #11172 |
My Life as a Turkey
Passion Pictures, Nature for WNET New York Public Media & BBC Entry #11389 |
Best Editing
Sponsored by Images of Nature, Thomas D. Mangelsen
WINNER
The Last Lions Wildlife Films and National Geographic, Susan Scott & Candice Odgers, Editors Entry #11042 |
My Life as a Turkey
Passion Pictures, Nature for WNET New York Public Media & BBC, Darren Flaxstone, Editor Entry #11389 |
The Trapper & The Amazon
Triosphere and Animal Planet, Katherine Pienaar, Editor Entry #11307 |
Best Original Music Score
Sponsored by Sony Electronics
WINNER
The Last Lions Wildlife Films and National Geographic, Alex Wurman, Music Entry #11042 |
Wings of Life
Disneynature & Blacklight Films Entry #11079 |
Life on Fire: Pioneers
of the Deep St. Thomas Productions, Jacky Hanouna, Music Entry #11143 |
Best Sound
Sponsored by Dolby Laboratories
WINNER
Serengeti Studio Hamburg DocLights/NDR Naturfilm, Universum Film, & Intervista, Jörn Röver, Reinhard Radke Sound Mix/Sound Design: Malte Bieler, Richard Borowski, Kai Storck, Carsten Richter Entry #11001 |
Forest Elephants: Rumbles in the Jungle
BBC Natural History Unit, BBC Worldwide & Animal Planet Entry #11156 |
Life: Plants
BBC, Discovery Channel, SKAI, Open University & BBC Worldwide, Life Production Team; Tim Owens, Sound Editor; Chris Domaille, Mixer Entry #11406 |
Life on Fire:
Ash Runners Saint Thomas Productions, Raphael Andrieu, Sound Editor; Florent Fournier-Sicre, Mixer Entry #11119 |
Best Writing
Sponsored by ORF/Austrian Broadcasting
WINNER
My Life as a Turkey Passion Pictures, Nature for WNET New York Public Media & BBC, Joe Hutto & David Allen, Writing Entry #11389 |
Butterflies: A Very
British Obsession BBC Natural History Unit, BBC Worldwide, Simon Bell Entry #11157 |
Human Planet: Arctic, Life in the Deep Freeze
BBC, Discovery Channel, France Televisions and FBBC Worldwide, Nicholas Brown, Writing Entry #11172 |
Life on Fire: Pioneers
of the Deep St. Thomas Productions, Loyer & Jo Stewart Smith, Writing Entry #11143 |
Special Consideration
Koala Hospital
Global Briefing LLC, Susan Kelly, Damien Beebe: Additional Cinematography, Dave Hurley, John Freeburn, David Lourie: Additional Editing, Javier Navarette, Lucas Suarez, Amanda Gordon Entry #11041 |
Polar Bear: Spy on the Ice
John Downer Productions, BBC, BBC Worldwide, Animal Planet, Discovery, Philip Dalton, John Downer, Michael Richards, Paul Cowgill, Peter Davies, Anna Fuller, Stuart Napier & Imogen Pollard, David Tennant, Will Gregory Entry #11315 |
Bangladesh: A Climate Trap
Knight Center for International, Ami Vitale & Sanjeev Chatterjee, Michael Davie, Ashima Narain, Anshul Joshi & Jennifer Redfearn: Mediastorm, M. Sanjayan Entry #11322 |
The Story of Everything
Darlow Smithson Productions, Susan Winslow, Ben Bowie, John Smithson, Pete Farrer, Mark Sherwood, Leila Nicotera, Iain Riddick, Dinos Sofos, Jovan Ajder, Rada Danilovic, Phitz Hearne, Ben Harding & Nick Kershaw, Sheridan Tongue Entry #11371 |
2011 Lifetime Achievement Award Winners
Dr. Alan Rabinowitz—Conservation (sponsored by NHU Africa)
One of the world’s leading big cat experts, Dr. Alan Rabinowitz is currently the CEO of Panthera, a nonprofit organization devoted to saving the world’s wild cat species. Prior to co-founding Panthera with the organization’s Chairman, Dr. Thomas S. Kaplan, Rabinowitz served as the Executive Director of the Science and Exploration Division for the Wildlife Conservation Society for almost 30 years.
Dr. Rabinowitz has traveled the world on behalf of wildlife conservation. His work in Belize resulted in the world's first jaguar sanctuary; his work in Taiwan resulted in the establishment of this country's largest protected area and last piece of intact lowland forest; his work in Thailand generated the first field research on Indochinese tigers, Asiatic leopards, and leopard cats, in what was to become the region's first World Heritage Site; and his work in Myanmar has led to the creation of five new protected areas, including the country's first marine national park, first and largest Himalayan national park, and the world’s largest tiger reserve in the Hukaung Valley.
Dr. Rabinowitz has dedicated his life to surveying the world’s last wild places, with the goal of preserving wild habitats and securing homes, on a large scale, for some of the world’s most endangered mammals. His focus on cats is based on conserving top predators, which affect entire ecosystems. By saving cats, the impacts are far-reaching and conserve vast landscapes upon which many species depend, including humans. One of Dr. Rabinowitz's greatest achievements was the conceptualization and implementation of the Jaguar Corridor, a series of biological and genetic corridors for jaguars across their entire range from Mexico to Argentina. Dr. Rabinowitz also initiated Panthera's Tiger Corridor Initiative, an effort to identify and protect the world's last remaining large interconnected tiger landscapes, with a primary focus on the remote and rugged Indo-Himalayan region of Asia.
Clark Bunting—Media (sponsored by Montana State University Science & Natural History Filmmaking Program)
For more than 25 years, Clark Bunting has been asking a lot of good questions…and turning the search for those answers into award-winning, unforgettable and standard-setting television. As one of the Discovery Founder John Hendricks’ first hires, Bunting has played a pivotal role in almost every facet of program development and production, breathing life into the Discovery brand with a signature mix of industry expertise and a genuine wonder and embrace of the world.
As president and general manager of Discovery Channel and president of Science Channel, Bunting oversees the flagship network now reaching close to over 100 million subscribers in the U.S. Bunting continues to innovate the natural history genre with leadership and investment in new technologies. In his previous post as executive vice president and general manager for Discovery Channel, Bunting oversaw a number of trendsetting new series, including Mythbusters and Werner Herzog's Academy Award® nominated documentary Encounters at the End of the World.
In addition to all aspects of network programming, Bunting is closely involved with the network’s environmental advocacy and stewardship. As part of the original team that launched SHARK WEEK, Bunting has long recognized the imperative for the network to be part of real issues outside of this pop culture phenomenon. In 2010, Bunting, in partnership with The Ocean Conservancy, worked closely with Senator John Kerry (D-MA) to introduce legislation to further the crusade for shark conservation awareness. Bunting also serves on the board of the American Humane Society.
Dr. Alan Rabinowitz—Conservation (sponsored by NHU Africa)
One of the world’s leading big cat experts, Dr. Alan Rabinowitz is currently the CEO of Panthera, a nonprofit organization devoted to saving the world’s wild cat species. Prior to co-founding Panthera with the organization’s Chairman, Dr. Thomas S. Kaplan, Rabinowitz served as the Executive Director of the Science and Exploration Division for the Wildlife Conservation Society for almost 30 years.
Dr. Rabinowitz has traveled the world on behalf of wildlife conservation. His work in Belize resulted in the world's first jaguar sanctuary; his work in Taiwan resulted in the establishment of this country's largest protected area and last piece of intact lowland forest; his work in Thailand generated the first field research on Indochinese tigers, Asiatic leopards, and leopard cats, in what was to become the region's first World Heritage Site; and his work in Myanmar has led to the creation of five new protected areas, including the country's first marine national park, first and largest Himalayan national park, and the world’s largest tiger reserve in the Hukaung Valley.
Dr. Rabinowitz has dedicated his life to surveying the world’s last wild places, with the goal of preserving wild habitats and securing homes, on a large scale, for some of the world’s most endangered mammals. His focus on cats is based on conserving top predators, which affect entire ecosystems. By saving cats, the impacts are far-reaching and conserve vast landscapes upon which many species depend, including humans. One of Dr. Rabinowitz's greatest achievements was the conceptualization and implementation of the Jaguar Corridor, a series of biological and genetic corridors for jaguars across their entire range from Mexico to Argentina. Dr. Rabinowitz also initiated Panthera's Tiger Corridor Initiative, an effort to identify and protect the world's last remaining large interconnected tiger landscapes, with a primary focus on the remote and rugged Indo-Himalayan region of Asia.
Clark Bunting—Media (sponsored by Montana State University Science & Natural History Filmmaking Program)
For more than 25 years, Clark Bunting has been asking a lot of good questions…and turning the search for those answers into award-winning, unforgettable and standard-setting television. As one of the Discovery Founder John Hendricks’ first hires, Bunting has played a pivotal role in almost every facet of program development and production, breathing life into the Discovery brand with a signature mix of industry expertise and a genuine wonder and embrace of the world.
As president and general manager of Discovery Channel and president of Science Channel, Bunting oversees the flagship network now reaching close to over 100 million subscribers in the U.S. Bunting continues to innovate the natural history genre with leadership and investment in new technologies. In his previous post as executive vice president and general manager for Discovery Channel, Bunting oversaw a number of trendsetting new series, including Mythbusters and Werner Herzog's Academy Award® nominated documentary Encounters at the End of the World.
In addition to all aspects of network programming, Bunting is closely involved with the network’s environmental advocacy and stewardship. As part of the original team that launched SHARK WEEK, Bunting has long recognized the imperative for the network to be part of real issues outside of this pop culture phenomenon. In 2010, Bunting, in partnership with The Ocean Conservancy, worked closely with Senator John Kerry (D-MA) to introduce legislation to further the crusade for shark conservation awareness. Bunting also serves on the board of the American Humane Society.
