2017 Film Competition

Congratulations to the 2017 Jackson Wild Film Festival Finalists and Winners!
With well over 900 category entries and almost 600 films overall, this has been our biggest competition yet! Special thanks to our 150+ preliminary judges who screened 3,500 hours of film to determine our 2017 finalists.

Grand Teton Award

Sponsored by Panasonic

WINNER
The Ivory Game

A Netflix Documentary, Terra Mater Film Studios and Vulcan Productions
in association with Malaika Pictures in association with Appian Way

Best Animal Behavior Film

Sponsored by World Wildlife Fund

WINNER
Rise of the Warrior Apes

KEO Films for Discovery Network International

Planet Earth II: Islands

BBC Studios Natural History Unit production, co-produced with BBC America, ZDF, Tencent and France Télévisions.

Planet Earth II: Mountains

BBC Studios Natural History Unit production, co-produced with BBC America, ZDF, Tencent and France Télévisions.

The Hunt: The Hardest Challenge

A Silverback Films production, made in partnership with The Open University, for BBC, co-produced with BBC Worldwide, BBC America, CCTV9 and NDR Naturfilm.

Best Ecosystem Film

Sponsored by Animal Planet

WINNER
Antarctica in the Footsteps of the Emperor

PAPRIKA Films, Wild-Touch Production, ARTE France, Andromède Océanologie, CNRS Images

Paris: A Wild Story

Boréales, Winds, Terra Mater Factual Studios

Sea of Hope: America's Underwater Treasures

True Blue Films for National Geographic Channels

Best Conservation Film

Sponsored by HHMI | Tangled Bank Studios

WINNER
The Hunt: Living With Predators

A Silverback Films production, made in partnership with The Open University, for BBC, co-produced with BBC Worldwide, BBC America, CCTV9 and NDR Naturfilm.

Jaguars: Brazil's Super Cat

BBC Studios Natural History Unit, Nat Geo Wild

Tribe Versus Pride

Terra Mater Factual Studios and Wildlife Films

Yasuni Man

Pollywog Productions

Best People & Nature Film

Sponsored by The Nature Conservancy

WINNER
Ranger and Leopard

Wildlife Pictures Institute for Jam-e Jam TV Network

Ghost of the Mountains

Brian Leith Productions with Disneynature Productions and Chuan Films

Great Human Odyssey

NOVA, Clearwater Documentary Inc., CBC, Lawrence Klein Productions LLC for WGBH-Boston

Into the Amazon

An Ark Media and John Maggio Productions Film for American Experience, WGBH-Boston

Best Changing Planet Film

Sponsored by North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences

WINNER
Death By a Thousand Cuts

Participant and Documentales Univision present a Tarasios Production in association with Human Pictures

BEARTREK

Wildlife Media

Before the Flood

National Geographic, RatPac Documentary Films, Insurgent Docs, Diamond Docs

Mosquito

Yap Films for Discovery Channel

Best Science in Nature Film

Sponsored by Marco Polo Film

WINNER
Sonic Sea

Discovery Channel presents a film by the Natural Resources Defense Council and Imaginary Forces in association with the International Fund for Animal Welfare and Diamond Docs

David Attenborough's Light on Earth

Terra Mater Factual Studios, Ammonite Film Productions, Curiosity Stream, BBC, UKTV, ABC Australia

Rise of the Warrior Apes

KEO Films for Discovery Networks International

Spy in the Wild: Love

John Downer Productions for BBC, PBS and THIRTEEN Productions LLC

Best Impact Film

Sponsored by International Fund for Animal Welfare

WINNER
Chasing Coral

A Netflix Documentary, Exposure Labs

Huntwatch

Produced by IFAW for Discovery

The Ivory Game

A Netflix Documentary, Terra Mater Film Studios and Vulcan Productions in association with Malaika Pictures in association with Appian Way

Best Educational Institutional Film

Sponsored by Terra Mater Factual Studios

WINNER
Pavel: I Protect Tigers

WWF-UK

Sixteen Legs

Bookend Enterprises Pty. Ltd.

The Last Pig

Piggy Films, LLC

Toad People

Wilderness Committee

Best Limited Series-Long

Sponsored by ORF Universum

WINNER
Ocean Warriors

A co-production between Animal Planet, Sundance Productions, Brick City TV and Vulcan Productions

Planet Earth II

BBC Studios Natural History Unit production, co-produced with BBC America, ZDF, Tencent and France Télévisions

Savage Kingdom

Icon Films, Natural History Film Unit Botswana for Nat Geo Wild

The Hunt

A Silverback Films production, made in partnership with The Open University, for BBC, co-produced with BBC Worldwide, BBC America, CCTV9 and NDR Naturfilm

Best Limited Series- Short

Sponsored by ARRI

WINNER
Lens of Time

Spine Films, California Academy of Sciences, bioGraphic

Animated Life

Sweet Fern Productions in association with Howard Hughes Medical Institute Biointeractive, and The New York Times Op-Docs

Deep Look

KQED, PBS Digital Studios

Shelf Life

American Museum of Natural History

Best Engaging Youth Film

Sponsored by PBS

WINNER
My Haggan Dream

Sisbro Studios, Open Boat Films

Meet the Real Wolf

Grizzly Creek Films, Rocky Mountain Wolf Project

Water From the Mountain (Agua de el Yunque)

Freshwaters Illustrated

Wild Kratts: Spirit Bear

Kratt Brothers Company Ltd., 9 Story Media Group Inc.

Best Host-Presenter Led

Sponsored by WNET / Nature

WINNER
David Attenborough's Light on Earth

Terra Mater Factual Studios, Ammonite Film Productions, Curiosity Stream, BBC, UKTV, ABC Australia

David Attenborough's Great Barrier Reef: Builders

Atlantic Productions, BBC, Smithsonian Channel, ABC Australia, eOne

Tales by Light: Sacred Nature

Untitled Film Works

Wild Ireland, Edge of the World

A Crossing the Line Film in association with ORF, PBS, BBC, France TV, NDR and Media.

Best Short

WINNER
Pangolin

Coral & Oak Studios

Big World in a Small Garden

Ammonite Films for CuriosityStream

Shark--A 4-D Experience

BBC Earth, BBC Natural History Unit and SimEx-Iwerks Entertainment

Why the Lion Calls

Panthera, Nick Hall Productions, Lion Guardians

Best Micro-Movie

WINNER
I Am a Ranger

Black Bean Productions, United for Wildlife, Ol Pejeta Conservancy

Explore Your Backyard Wilderness

Archipelago Films, Arise Media

The Chorus of Colorado

Grizzly Creek Films, Rocky Mountain Wolf Project

Best Theatrical Film

WINNER
The Ivory Game

A Netflix Documentary, Terra Mater Film Studios and Vulcan Productions in association with Malaika Pictures in association with Appian Way

From the Ashes

Radical Media, Bloomberg Philanthropies for National Geographic

Wild Africa 3D

BBC Earth Productions, Reliance Entertainment, IM Global, Evergreen Studios

Best Student & Emerging Film

WINNER
Wild Expectations

Equilibrio films LLC, Nedo Producciones Ltda.

Between Two Lichens

Andy Johnson, Talia Yuki Moore, Chris A. Johns and Kate Furby

The Healing Lizard

Fernanda Prudencio, University of the West of England

Best Interactive

Sponsored by RED Digital Cinemas

WINNER
David Attenborough's Great Barrier Reef: An Interactive Journey

Atlantic Productions

Deforestation in the Amazon

Council on Foreign Relations, Shapeshifter, Inc.

Oculus Cat Flight

BBC Earth Productions

Best 360° Storytelling

WINNER
360° Climbing Giants

Black Dot Films VR for National Geographic

Carnivorous Glow Worms

Black Dot Films VR for National Geographic in association with Dryft Digital

David Attenborough's Great Barrier Reef Dive VR

Alchemy VR, Atlantic Productions

Shelf Life: Fossil Hunting in the Gobi

American Museum of Natural History

Valen's Reef

Here Be Dragons and Finch for Conservation International

Best Visualization

Sponsored by Fujinon Lenses

WINNER
Planet Earth II: Cities

BBC Studios Natural History Unit production, co-produced with BBC America, ZDF, Tencent and France Télévisions

Brothers of the Wind

Terra Mater Film Studios
Oscar Duran and Otmar Penker, Cinematography

Wild Tales from the Village

BBC Studios Natural History Unit, France Télévisions and BBC worldwide
Jonathan Jones, Cinematography

Best Editing

Sponsored by Off the Fence

WINNER
The Hunt: Hide and Seek

A Silverback Films production, made in partnership with The Open University, for BBC, co-produced with BBC Worldwide, BBC America, CCTV9 and NDR Naturfilm
Nigel Buck, Editor

The Ivory Game

A Netflix Documentary, Terra Mater Film Studios and Vulcan Productions in association with Malaika Pictures in association with Appian Way
Verena Schoenauer, Editor

Wild Tales from the Village

BBC Studios Natural History Unit, France Télévisions and BBC worldwide
James Taggart, Editor

Best Original Music Score

Sponsored by Vulcan

WINNER
Planet Earth II: Grasslands

BBC Studios Natural History Unit production, co-produced with BBC America, ZDF, Tencent and France Télévisions
Jacob Shea and Jasha Klebe, Composers
Main Title: Hans Zimmer
Original Music: Jacob Shea and Jasha Klebe (for Bleeding Fingers Music)

Amazon Adventure

SK Films, Picture Projects, Aventuras Produções
Antonio Pinto, Composer

Planet Earth II: Mountains

BBC Studios Natural History Unit production, co-produced with BBC America, ZDF, Tencent and France Télévisions
Main Title: Hans Zimmer
Original Music: Jacob Shea and Jasha Klebe (for Bleeding Fingers Music)

Highlands - Scotland's Wild Heart: Spring - Season of Extremes

Maramedia ltd for BBC Scotland and ITV Studios Global Entertainment.
Simon Ashdown and Donald Shaw, Composers

Best Writing

Sponsored by NHK

WINNER
The Ivory Game

A Netflix Documentary, Terra Mater Film Studios and Vulcan Productions in association with Malaika Pictures in association with Appian Way
Richard Ladkani and Kief Davidson, Writers

Paris: A Wild Story

Boréales, Winds, Terra Mater Factual Studios
Frédéric Fougea and Guillaume Poyet, Writers

Rats

Discovery presents RATS produced by Warrior Poets, Dakota Films Ltd., Submarine Entertainment
Morgan Spurlock and Jeremy Chilnick, Writers

Soul of the Elephant

Wildlife Films, Thirteen Productions LLC,Terra Mater Factual Studios
Dereck Joubert, Writer

Best Audioscape

Sposored by Dolby

WINNER
Planet Earth II: Jungles

BBC Studios Natural History Unit production, co-produced with BBC America, ZDF, Tencent and France Télévisions.

Amazon Adventure

SK Films, Picture Projects, Aventuras Produções

Born in China

Disneynature, Brian Leith Productions, Chuan Films

Highlands - Scotland's Wild Heart: Summer - The Greatest Race

Maramedia LTD for BBC Scotland and ITV studios global entertainment

Special Jury

WINNER
Tribe Versus Pride

Terra Mater Factual Studios and Wildlife Films

Bird of Prey

Cornell Lab of Ornithology

One Hundred Days of Solitude

Wanda Films in coproduction with TVE

Tale of a Lake

MRP Matila Röhr Productions

The Last Animals

Atlas Films, Foxtail Entertainment, Artemis Rising Foundation, British Film Company, Diamond Docs

To Skin a Cat

Scholars & Gentlemen, Panthera, Earth Touch, andBeyond, Durban Film Office, National Film & Video Foundation, Peace Parks Foundation