Winner Announced in WILD to INSPIRE Short Film Competition

Nat Geo WILD, the Sun Valley Film Festival and the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) announced today that the short film Wolf Mountain by Dan Duran, Sam Price-Waldman, and Brendan Nahmias won the first annual WILD to INSPIRE Short Film Competition. Director Duran receives an opportunity to study wildlife documentary filmmaking in AWF’s Maasai Steppe landscape in northern Tanzania with Emmy Award–winning cinematographer, Bob Poole.

During his stay, Duran will act as documentarian of record for Tarangire National Park, Lake Manyara National Park and Manyara Ranch Conservancy — a conservancy supported by AWF that acts as a wildlife corridor between the two parks — on behalf of Nat Geo WILD and AWF. Through regular updates, including blog posts, videos, and photos, the winner will shine a light on African wildlife and conservation efforts while also giving Nat Geo WILD fans an inside look at what it really takes to be a wildlife filmmaker.

“We continue to be inspired by the skills and passion of these filmmakers in capturing the spirit of the competition and the connection we all share with the wild,” said Geoff Daniels, executive vice president and general manager for Nat Geo WILD. “We are looking forward to Duran sharing his experiences in Africa with the world as well as his growth as a wildlife filmmaker.” 

“The camera lens is so often the instrument by which Africa’s incredible wildlife story is told,” said African Wildlife Foundation Maasai Steppe Director John Salehe. “The Maasai Steppe is home to many well-known African species, such as elephants and lions, but the wildlife also faces a variety of threats, from poaching to conflict with humans over space and resources. We are thrilled to sponsor the winner of this year’s contest and look forward to his lens capturing the triumphs and challenges of protecting wildlife not just in Tanzania, but on a rapidly changing African continent."

The other finalists in the competition included Always Endangered by Jim Laybourn and Bee Happy by David Thompson and Jacob Taylor. All the filmmakers attended the Third Annual Sun Valley Film Festival, where their films screened for festival attendees on Saturday, March 15th, ahead of the world premiere of Nat Geo WILD’s Kingdom of the Apes.

Nat Geo WILD and Sun Valley Film Festival also announced they will be doing a second competition.  More details will follow in the coming months.

For more information, visit natgeowild.com/wildtoinspire.