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David Attenborough, one of the greatest nature filmmakers of all time, is headed back to the big screen this summer. The British naturalist's newest film, Ocean with David Attenborough, will premiere on National Geographic on June 7, right in time for World Oceans Day on June 8 and the United Nations Ocean Conference, which begins on June 9. It will arrive on Hulu and Disney+ the following day. Before you jump in, Collider has an exclusive sneak peek of Attenborough's introduction to the film.

In the clip, the 99-year-old Attenborough stands at the seaside, introducing the most important place on Earth: the oceans. He guides the viewer through the changes in ocean exploration in his near-century lifetime. While early filmmakers' ability to explore the oceans was quite limited, the invention of Scuba (self-contained underwater breathing apparatus) gear in 1952 opened up a new world for explorers, allowing humans to stay underwater for much longer durations.

BAFTA will run a season of industry events across the UK to promote climate change awareness. Starting this month and running until the fall, the Green Light Season will span talks, screenings, panels, masterclasses and a comedy event. The season will feature experts and activists from across film, games and TV.

The season, which is organized by BAFTA and its dedicated sustainability offshoot albert, opens with a screening of Ocean With David Attenborough. There will also be sessions embedded within the Sheffield Documentary Festival.

Confirmed industry names involved include the likes of Keith Scholey, the co-director of Ocean with David Attenborough, and Emily Hudd, exec producer of Joe Lycett vs The Oil Giant.

Jane Millichip, CEO of BAFTA, said UK producers and broadcasters are leading the way in terms of reducing emissions from production, in partnership with albert.

“Increasingly, they are also showcasing content which highlights the climate crisis,” the BAFTA boss added.

Ocean with David Attenborough arrives at a moment when the planet’s vastest ecosystem teeters between wonder and collapse. Framed against Sir David’s 99th birthday and the build‑up to the Un’s Third Ocean Conference, the film unfolds like a requiem and rallying cry intertwined. Directors Toby Nowlan, Colin Butfield and Keith Scholey harness 4K clarity to reveal a world at once alien and intimate: sweeping aerial shots of kelp forests stretch like emerald tapestries, while microscopic skirmishes of zooplankton and phytoplankton pulse with unknowable drama.

This is no mere nature documentary—it operates as a cultural mirror, reflecting how humanity has long regarded the sea as an infinite pantry, only to learn too late that its richness hinges on delicate balance. The narrative strides confidently through three movements: an opening hymn to marine splendour, a middle passage exposing the brutal churn of industrial trawlers and seabed scouring,...

Sir David Attenborough is celebrating his 99th birthday on May 8, 2025 with the release of Ocean with David Attenborough. The documentary, which just unveiled a nearly two-minute trailer, debuts outside of the United States on May 8, followed by June 7 on National Geographic and June 8 (World Oceans Day) on Disney+ and Hulu.

“My lifetime has coincided with the great age of ocean discovery. Over the last hundred years, scientists and explorers have revealed remarkable new species, epic migrations, and dazzling, complex ecosystems beyond anything I could have imagined as a young man,” said Sir David Attenborough. “In this film, we share those wonderful discoveries, uncover why our ocean is in such poor health, and, perhaps most importantly, show how it can bounce back to life.”

The documentary is directed by Toby Nowlan, Keith Scholey, and Colin Butfield and is a Silverback Films and Open Planet Studios co-production. Louise Pedersen, Rachel Job, Tom McDonald,...

National Geographic has released the trailer and key art for Ocean with David Attenborough, a feature-length documentary special that marks the first collaboration of its kind between Sir David Attenborough, the world’s preeminent natural historian, and National Geographic.

Presented by the celebrated 98-year-old broadcaster and produced by Silverback Films and Open Planet Studios, the film shares with a global audience the importance of the world’s oceans and the story of how we can, and must, restore the glory of Earth’s vast, interconnected waters.

Ocean with David Attenborough will have its world premiere tomorrow, May 6, at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall in London and will be released theatrically in select territories outside the U.S. on May 8, 2025, coinciding with Attenborough’s 99th birthday.

International cinemas and showtimes can be found at OceanFilm.net. The film will premiere on National Geographic on Saturday, June 7, at 9/8c and be...

The Walt Disney Company has revealed a first look at Disneynature’s new feature film, Sea Lions of the Galápagos, narrated by Brendan Fraser, and announced the details of its Earth Month ourHOME campaign.

Streaming on Disney+ beginning April 22, Sea Lions of the Galápagos explores the fascinating world of the Galápagos alongside a host of creatures from land and sea. In the film, the handsome sea lion pup Leo leaves his mother’s colony to find his own home following swimming lessons, fishing expeditions, and some growing up.

Male sea lions must fight to earn the best spots, and only the strongest will become beachmasters. Leo’s lifelong quest is fraught with challenges and filled with new encounters with an array of creatures, from marine iguanas and racer snakes to yellowfin tuna and huge Galapagos sharks.

The archipelago is Leo’s playground—overland and underwater—but he must stay vigilant...

Brendan Fraser narrates Disneynature’s Sea Lions Of The Galapagos’

Oscar winner Brendan Fraser (The Whale) helps tell the story of the Sea Lions of the Galapagos, narrating the Disneynature film. The latest addition to Disneynature’s roster will stream on Disney+ on Earth Day (April 22nd). Hugh Wilson directs and Keith Scholey co-directs, with Wilson, Scholey, and Roy Conli serving as producers. Raphaelle Thibaut composed the nature film’s music.

“Working with Brendan was an honor, and he delivered a great performance with the narration,” said director Hugh Wilson. “He was able to convey a range of emotions from high-stakes drama and important factual content to intimate comedic moments. He was particularly strong in regard to the comedy—a crucial ingredient for Disneynature films—and it was great to see him really lean into those moments.”

The film focuses on Leo, described as “a handsome sea lion pup who...

After decades of honoring the best in independent film, the Gotham Awards have formally branched out into television. In recent years the Gothams have included a handful of TV awards alongside their film races, but 2024 marks the first time the Gothams have dedicated an awards show specifically to television. Held on June 4 at 7:00pm Eastern in New York City, the awards celebrated the best new comedies, dramas, limited series and nonfiction programs of the season. So how did the inaugural event go? Who were the big winners? And what were the biggest surprises at these juried awards? The complete list of winners is below, updated throughout the night.

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Breakthrough Comedy Series

“Bodkin”

Jez Scharf, creator; Tonia Davis, Nne Ebong, David Flynn, Paul Lee, Alex Metcalf, Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, Jez Scharf, executive producers; (Netflix)

X — “Colin from Accounts”

Patrick Brammall,...

Exclusive: Netflix has given the green light to what it calls the “next iteration” of its Emmy-contending documentary series Life on Our Planet, with Morgan Freeman set to return as narrator and Steven Spielberg as executive producer.

The as-yet-untitled show from Silverback Films and Amblin Documentaries will “tell the story of the rise and fall of the dinosaurs – where they came from, why they mattered, how they evolved and how they met their ultimate fate.”

Season 1 of Life on Our Planet examined not only the dinosaurs, but the rise of invertebrates, mammals, plants, and other life forms across billions of years of evolution up until the present. Industrial Light & Magic (Ilm) returns to craft the visual effects and animation; Grammy Award-winner Lorne Balfe is back as composer.

‘Life on Our Planet’

“It is an extraordinary privilege to bring the most iconic creatures in Earth’s history to the screen,” said Dan Tapster,...

For decades, the Gotham Awards have honored the best in independent film as decided by select committees of industry insiders, festival programmers, and media experts. In recent years they have expanded into TV, but in 2024, for the first time, they are holding a separate awards show dedicated to the best new television programs of the year. Scroll down for the complete list of inaugural nominees. Winners will be presented on Tuesday, June 4, in New York City.

Jeffrey Sharp, The Gotham’s Executive Director, said in a statement, “In a historic moment for The Gotham, we’re thrilled to recognize an extraordinary collection of TV series and the brilliant creators responsible for bringing them to the screen. As an organization dedicated to celebrating and nurturing independent media, we know the inaugural 2024 Gotham TV Awards will honor many truly deserving creatives while widening our reach and expanding our impact. We are enormously...

The Gotham Film & Media Institute announced today the nominations in seven competitive award categories for its inaugural Gotham TV Awards, recognizing a range of series, including Baby Reindeer, Ripley, The Curse, Shōgun, Bodkin, Mr. & Mrs. Smith and Black Twitter: A People’s History as well as performances from Emma Stone and Nathan Fielder in The Curse, Andrew Scott in Ripley, Kristen Wiig in Palm Royale, Richard Gadd in Baby Reindeer, and Lily Gladstone in Under The Bridge, among others. The awards ceremony is set for June 4 in NYC.

“In a historic moment for The Gotham, we’re thrilled to recognize an extraordinary collection of TV series and the brilliant creators responsible for bringing them to the screen,” said Jeffrey Sharp, The Gotham’s Executive Director.

The longstanding Gotham Awards is focused on film but includes three television categories. From here on, they will migrate to the new event.

Today, National Geographic released the trailer for the critically acclaimed documentary special Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story, directed by distinguished photographer and filmmaker Charlie Hamilton James and produced by Emmy and BAFTA Award-winner Jeff Wilson of Silverback Films.

The emotionally powerful film shows audiences how the ability to love can reawaken us to the beauty of nature.

Alastair Fothergill and Keith Scholey served as executive producers, along with National Geographic’s Tom McDonald and Janet Vissering. Sam Rogers edited the film, which features cinematography by Charlie Hamilton James, Johnny Rolt, and Bertie Gregory and music composed by Erland Cooper.

Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story will premiere on May 6 on National Geographic and will be available to stream the next day on Disney+ and Hulu.

Photo Credit: National Geographic/Johnny Rolt

When a wild otter in desperate need of help washes up on his jetty in the remote Scottish islands of Shetland,...

The trailer for Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story sees Bill Mail and his wife, Susan, rescuing a starving wild otter that swims onto their jetty in remote Scotland. The animal becomes a new member of their family and gives the couple a renewed purpose in life.

Charlie Hamilton directs the rescue film from National Geographic and Silverback Films. It follows Billy, Susan and their devoted sheepdog, Jade, as they slowly restore the desperate female otter named Molly to health.

“Molly came into our life when we needed her most, and she opened our eyes again,” Susan Mail says at one point in the trailer as she and Billy are shown playing with and feeding their lovable, yet unlikely friend. “I don’t know if I’m doing the right thing. But I’m all she’s got,” Billy adds as the two-minute video reveals how his and Molly...

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Jeff Goldblum’s iconic assertion in 1993’s Jurassic Park is not just one of the most instantly quotable lines in cinema history; it also neatly sums up the four-billion-year history of life on Earth in four short words (five if you count the none-more-Goldblum “uh” in the middle). Of course, the reality is far from that simple.

Now, 30 years later, the makers of Netflix’s phenomenally successful nature doc Our Planet have joined forces with the technical wizards at Industrial Light & Magic for an ambitious fleshing-out of that gigayears-old story of evolution.

A series nearly five years in the making, Life on Our Planet blends groundbreaking visual effects with state-of-the-art nature photography to tell the epic tale of how life has, indeed, found a way.

Employing some Christopher Nolan-esque time-hopping and framing the action around five major mass extinction events, the series draws evolutionary...

Life on Our Planet is one of the most ambitious natural history programs created to date. Narrated by Morgan Freeman, the series tracks the journey of life on planet Earth, from its origins to today. From the ocean’s earliest denizens to dinosaurs to human beings, Life on Our Planet is an exploration of how life thrives—or fails—in conjunction with the ever-changing nature of Earth. Executive produced by Steven Spielberg, Life on Our Planet also crafts the story of life on Earth into a narrative that is just as dramatic and compelling as the real thing.

Screen Rant was invited to special presentation at Amblin that showcased clips from Life on Our Planet and featured a panel featuring many of the series’ most integral players. In attendance were filmmakers Dan Tapster, Alastair Fothergill, and Keith Scholey from Silverback Films, Darryl Frank and Justin Falvey from Amblin Pictures, VFX...

The Hulu series The 1619 Project and the Showtime feature Nothing Lasts Forever scored a leading three nominations apiece today as the Cinema Eye Honors announced its first round of contenders for the prestigious documentary-focused awards.

The 1619 Project, based on Nikole Hannah-Jones’s Pulitzer Prize-winning examination of slavery in North America and its impact up until the present day, earned nominations for Best Anthology Series, broadcast editing and broadcast cinematography. Oprah Winfrey, Oscar winner Roger Ross Williams and Hannah-Jones are among the producers of the six-part series.

‘Nothing Lasts Forever’

Nothing Lasts Forever, director Jason Kohn’s glittering examination of the world of diamonds – the real kind and the emergence of undetectable “synthetic” diamonds – earned nominations for Best Broadcast Film, broadcast editing and broadcast cinematography. Scroll for the full list of nominations announced today.

Other films and series that scored multiple nominations include Hulu’s Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields...

Hulu’s “The 1619 Project” and Showtime’s “Nothing Lasts Forever” lead all broadcast documentaries in nominations for the 17th annual Cinema Eye Honors, which were announced on Thursday during the Cinema Eye Fall Lunch at Redbird in downtown Los Angeles.

Each of the programs received three nominations in the five broadcast categories, with “The 1619 Project” nominated in the Anthology Series, cinematography and editing categories and “Nothing Lasts Forever” singled out in Broadcast film, cinematography and editing categories.

Other programs with multiple nominations include the broadcast movie “Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields,” the nonfiction series “Dear Mama” and “Paul T. Goldman” and the anthology series “Edge of the Unknown With Jimmy Chin” and “Our Planet II.”

Hulu led all networks and platforms with eight nominations, followed by Netflix with five and Showtime with four.

Cinema Eye Honors, a New York-based organization devoted to honoring all facets of nonfiction filmmaking, also...

Netflix has launched the official trailer for the nature docu-series narrated by Morgan Freeman ‘Life on Our Planet.’

This is the story of life’s epic battle to conquer and survive on planet Earth. Today there are 20 million species on our planet, yet what we see is just a snapshot in time — 99% of earth’s inhabitants are lost to our deep past. The story of what happened to these dynasties — their rise and their fall — is truly remarkable. In partnership with Industrial Light & Magic, the series uses the latest technology and science to bring long-extinct creatures back to life, Life on Our Planet reveals the incredible story of life on our planet.

Narrated by Morgan Freeman, series produces include Dan Tapster, Keith Scholey, and Alastair Fothergill with Steven Spielberg acting as an executive producer.

Also in trailers – “Charge one, Mutiny!” Trailer drops for ‘The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial’

The docu-series hits Netflix on October 25th.

Oscar winner Morgan Freeman provides the narration for Netflix’s documentary series Life on Our Planet. The eight-part docuseries just launched a trailer that features a sampling of the many creatures who roamed Earth millions of years ago.

In notes provided by Netflix, producer Dan Tapster explained that they created the look of the dinosaurs by being as scientifically accurate as possible.

“Ultimately, the goal was to keep creative license to a minimum and try instead to have scientific veracity at the heart of each sequence. From an asset design point of view, that’s relatively straightforward since the designs are all based on fossils. However, sometimes there is disagreement amongst the paleontological community, and when that was the case, we always tried to position ourselves with the most widely held view,” stated Tapster.

Tapster continued: “Take the T-Rex as an example. Our T-Rex looks surprisingly different from the overly...

Netflix has launched the teaser trailer for the nature docu-series narrated by Morgan Freeman ‘Life on Our Planet.’

This is the story of life’s epic battle to conquer and survive on planet Earth. Today there are 20 million species on our planet, yet what we see is just a snapshot in time — 99% of earth’s inhabitants are lost to our deep past. The story of what happened to these dynasties — their rise and their fall — is truly remarkable. In partnership with Industrial Light & Magic, the series uses the latest technology and science to bring long-extinct creatures back to life, Life on Our Planet reveals the incredible story of life on our planet.

Narrated by Morgan Freeman, series produces include Dan Tapster, Keith Scholey, and Alastair Fothergill with Steven Spielberg acting as an executive producer.

Also in trailers – Trailer drops for Cristian Mungiu’s ‘R.M.N.’

The docu-series hits Netflix on October 25th.

Netflix just unveiled a gorgeous teaser trailer for the documentary series Our Planet II. Premiering on June 14, 2023, the four-part docuseries is narrated by Sir David Attenborough.

The first Our Planet documentary series is available for streaming on Netflix and has amassed over 570 million viewing hours since its release in April 2019.

Mountain lions in ‘Our Planet II’ (Photo Credit: Netflix)

In addition to announcing the premiere date and releasing the teaser trailer, the streaming service debuted a poster and photos from the upcoming docuseries. Netflix also released this description of Our Planet II:

“Experience life’s extraordinary journeys.

From the Emmy Award-winning team behind Planet Earth and Our Planet comes Our Planet II. At any given moment on planet Earth, billions of animals are on the move. Captured with spectacular and innovative cinematography, Our Planet II unravels the mysteries of how and why animals migrate to reveal some of the...

Netflix has announced six upcoming natural history documentary series, starting with “Our Universe,” narrated by Morgan Freeman, on November 22. The shows all focus on different aspects of the natural world, from an expansive look into the universe’s origins, to life on planet Earth and how its oceans operate and exist.

Additional new series include a continuation of 2019’s “Our Planet” with “Our Planet II,” and natural historian David Attenborough is once again slated to narrate the new series. Netflix said that more than 100 million households have watched the original “Our Planet” since it was released in April 2019.

The six new series are listed below:

“Our Universe” – Premieres November 22

Narrated by Morgan FreemanExecutive Producer: Andrew CohenShowrunner: Mike DavisProduction Company: BBC StudiosFormat: 6 episodes, 45 minutes each

“Our Planet II” – Coming 2023

Narrated by David AttenboroughSeries Producer: Huw CordeyExecutive Producers: Alastair Fothergill, Keith ScholeyProduction Company: Silverback FilmsFormat: 4 episodes, 50 minutes each

“Life on Our Planet...

Netflix is heading back in to the wild with a major new natural history push.

The streamer has ordered six new series including Our Universe and Life on Our Planet narrated by Morgan Freeman and renewed David Attenborough’s Our Planet for a second season. It is doubling down on the ‘Our’ brand with Our Oceans, Our Living World and Our Water World.

The push, headed by Adam Del Deo, VP Documentary Series, comes after Our Planet was watched by more than 100M households since its launch in April 2019 and President Barack Obama’s Our Great National Parks launched in April.

Our Universe blends wildlife footage with cosmic special effects and take viewers on an adventure to explore the connections that drive our natural world. From the birth of the sun to the birth of a sea turtle, Our Universe uses animation to dramatize the celestial forces that generated our solar system,...

The power of each of us to create change for the better and inspire others with the wonders of the world will be underlined by the Disney+ lineup of Earth Day programming, announced today at the Television Critics Assn. Winter Press Tour.

The streaming offerings on tap include Polar Bear, the next wildlife movie from Disneynature; Explorer: The Last Tepui, the newest installment of National Geographic’s long-running Explorer series; and The Biggest Little Farm: The Return, a special update based on the 2018 documentary on the

making of Apricot Lane Farms.

All will premiere exclusively on Disney+ on April 22.

For Polar Bear, Disney+ and Disneynature revealed today that two-time Academy Award nominee Catherine Keeneer is narrating. The film tells the story of a

new mother whose memories of her own youth prepare her to navigate motherhood in the

increasingly challenging world that polar bears face today.

From raging fires in North America to fatal floods in Germany and famine in Madagascar, the terrifying impact of man-made climate change is clear.

Natural history films are big sellers in global TV markets. But now there appears to be a new willingness from TV types to put uncomfortable truths regarding environmental damage alongside feel-good shots of beautiful beasts and pristine landscapes.

“Big-scale natural history shows have evolved radically in the past decade,” says BBC Studios Productions’ factual chief Tom McDonald. “Ten years ago, any environmental messages tended to be annexed in ‘the making of…’ section hived off at the end of the program.”

However, now, he says, natural history TV has become more sophisticated and routinely “bakes in” environmental stories.

One of the highlights of BBC Studios’ Mipcom slate is “The Green Planet,” a five-parter co-produced with PBS, fronted by David Attenborough and made by the Corp’s Natural...

Discovery has come on board as the global broadcast partner for Prince William’s The Earthshot Prize. The deal includes a five-part series featuring Prince William and David Attenborough, The Earthshot Prize: Repairing Our Planet, in early October and will culminate in the Earthshot Prize Ceremony on October 17.

The Earthshot Prize: Repairing Our Planet series launches on discovery+ on October 3 in the U.S, with a global rollout to follow. In addition, all five episodes of the series will air on Discovery in the U.S. on October 16 beginning at 4 pm Et, just prior to the award ceremony streaming on Discovery’s Facebook page on Sunday, October 17, and available on discovery+ later this year.

Launched by Prince William and The Royal Foundation in October 2020, The Earthshot Prize aims to discover, celebrate and scale innovative solutions to the greatest environmental challenges facing our planet. The Prize is centered on five Earthshots...

It’s been a strange year, but cinema endures. The 2021 British Academy Film and Television Awards took place at the Royal Albert Hall on the 11th of April, 2021. In a first in BAFTA history, four women have been nominated in the Director category, including Nomadland director Chloe Zhao, Sarah Gavron for Rocks, and Shannon Murphy for Babyteeth. Other notable nominees include Promising Young Woman, The Trial of the Chicago 7, The Father, Saint Maud and Minari. It is a diverse line up, and a very unusual time but the red carpets are rolling out, even if they are in living rooms around the world.

Yesterday director Ang Lee was entered into the BAFTA Fellowship, and Noel Clarke was awarded the Outstanding British Contribution to cinema. This evening Edith Bowman and Dermot O’Leary hosted the awards and it was a delight to see Yun-Jung Youn’s incredible win for her role in Minari.

Today’s show is being broadcast with a time delay on BBC One at 19:00 UK time.

The Bafta Film Awards 2021 main show is taking place today (April 11) from London’s Royal Albert Hall.

Scroll down for latest winners

An audience will not be present and winners will receive their awards virtually due to ongoing Covid-19 restrictions.

For the first time, the awards are being handed out across two nights. Saturday’s ceremony (April 10) focused on the craft awards.

Today’s show started at 16:15pm UK time, and is being broadcast with a time delay on BBC One starting...

Shannon Murphy has been nominated for the BAFTA Award for best direction for her debut feature, Babyteeth.

Murphy is in good company, with fellow nominees for the prize including Thomas Vinterberg for Another Round; Lee Issac Chung for Minari; Chloé Zhao for Nomadland; Jasmila Žbanić for Quo Vadis, Aida? and Sarah Gavron for Rocks.

It is the first time in BAFTA history that four women have been nominated in the director category.

These are the first edition of nominations to follow BAFTA’s seven-month diversity review, which came about after it faced significant backlash one year ago for a lack of diversity among nominees – including an all-male director category. Three of the nominated directors are also up for best film not in the English language.

The BAFTA nod is yet another accolade for Babyteeth and Murphy’s work, following on from the film’s premiere in competition at the Venice Film Festival in 2019. There,...

Today, at the Royal Albert Hall, Aisling Bea and Susan Wokoma, on behalf of The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA), announced the nominations for the Ee British Academy Film Awards in 2021, celebrating the very best in film of the past year.

In a first in BAFTA history, four women have been nominated in the Director category, including ‘Nomadland’ director Chloe Zhao, Sarah Gavron for ‘Rocks’, and Shannon Murphy for ‘Babyteeth’. In all, ‘Nomadland’ and ‘Rocks’ received seven nominations each.

‘The Father’, ‘Mank’, ‘Minari’ and ‘Promising Young Woman’ all received a total of six nominations while ‘The Dig’ and ‘The Mauritanian’ received five.

Supporting new talent is at the heart of BAFTA’s remit and four of the five nominated films in Outstanding Debut are also nominated across other categories. This year, first-time nominees account for four of the six nominated Directors and 21 of the 24 nominees in the performance categories.

‘The Father’, ‘Mank’, ‘Minari’, ‘Promising Young Woman’ also score well.

Chloé Zhao’s Nomadland and UK teenage drama Rocks led the 2021 Bafta film awards nominations, which were announced today (March 9).

Both titles received seven nominations, including for directors Zhao and Sarah Gavron, and for Frances McDormand and Bukky Bakray in leading actress respectively.

Scroll down for full list of nominations

Four titles received six nominations each: UK titles The Father and Promising Young Woman, plus Minari and Mank from the US.

In the first Bafta film awards since widespread criticism over the lack of diversity in the 2020 nominations, four out...

Key creatives behind blue-chip natural history producer Silverback Films — the powerhouse outfit behind Netflix’s “Our Planet” — have teamed to form sister company Studio Silverback.

The new production outfit will focus solely on films that tackle the world’s pressing environmental challenges, and will be headed up by Jonnie Hughes, Colin Butfield, Keith Scholey and Alastair Fothergill. Silverback co-founders Scholey and Fothergill will also be directors of Studio Silverback.

Meanwhile, executive director Colin Butfield is a former executive director at international conservation charity the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) who worked with Silverback to conceive and produce the series “Our Planet,” its accompanying digital ‘Halo’ project and “David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet,” on which Hughes was also a director and producer.

“The blend of the four of us together means we can cover off all the main areas we’d want to influence if we’re to achieve the mission,...

Exclusive: All3Media CEO Jane Turton has told Deadline that the production group’s surprise deal to acquire Emmy-winning Our Planet producer Silverback Films gives it immediate access to a small, but elite pool of blue-chip natural history program makers.

Turton said All3Media has been courting Silverback founders Alastair Fothergill and Keith Scholey for years and was “proud” to get the under-the-radar acquisition over the line this week. Although she said All3Media was not looking at “filling gaps” in its portfolio, she admitted that the acquisition takes the company into a new and revered field of content production.

“It’s the right time — there is an enormous appetite for very high-quality natural history and there are very few people who can produce it. There is a huge scarcity factor,” said Turton, who has run All3Media since 2015. “We were keen [to buy Silverback] way back when. I was never quite sure whether...

Production and distribution powerhouse All3Media has acquired leading natural history producer Silverback Films.

Founded in 2012 by Alastair Fothergill and Keith Scholey (right), Silverback Films is the U.K.’s top natural history producer outside of the BBC Natural History Unit, and creates wildlife content for film and TV. Recent credits include the documentary “David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet”, which had a worldwide theatrical release at the end of September before launching on Netflix.

The deal is a tremendous coup for All3Media, which has been on the market for more production acquisitions in the last two years. The company’s portfolio spans 28 companies around the world, with key titles including “Fleabag,” “Call the Midwife” and “Liar.” While All3Media has a number of reputable unscripted production outfits in its wheelhouse, the acquisition of Silverback puts it firmly in the natural history space as a major contender going forward.

Discovery and Liberty Global-owned super-producer All3Media has acquired Silverback Films, the producer behind Netflix’s epic David Attenborough natural history series Our Planet.

All3Media has taken control of Silverback for an undisclosed fee after the independent natural history specialist was first launched by former BBC executives Alastair Fothergill and Keith Scholey in 2012.

As well as Our Planet, Silverback was recently behind David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet, which had a worldwide theatrical release at the end of September before launching on Netflix.

Current projects include a five-part BBC climate crisis series that will mark the launch of Prince William’s Earthshot Prize, working titled Earthshot: How To Save Our Planet.

Other BBC collaborations include The Hunt and the upcoming A Perfect Planet, a Discovery co-production that fuses natural history and earth science to explore the unique systems that allow planet Earth to thrive.

The deal is likely...

TV giant All3Media has acquired natural history specialists Silverback Films.

The production company, founded in 2021 by Alastair Fothergill and Keith Scholey, was behind the recent documentary David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet, which had a worldwide theatrical release at the end of September, becoming the widest-ever documentary release in British cinema history, before launching globally on Netflix.

Financial details of the acquisition weren’t revealed.

“The talent is world class and Silverback is at the very top of its game at a time when the relevance of landmark natural history programming has never been greater,” said All3Media ...

TV giant All3Media has acquired natural history specialists Silverback Films.

The production company, founded in 2021 by Alastair Fothergill and Keith Scholey, was behind the recent documentary David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet, which had a worldwide theatrical release at the end of September, becoming the widest-ever documentary release in British cinema history, before launching globally on Netflix.

Financial details of the acquisition weren’t revealed.

“The talent is world class and Silverback is at the very top of its game at a time when the relevance of landmark natural history programming has never been greater,” said All3Media ...

Update: This story is being updated this week as the new longlists are unveiled. Today (November 20) the Best Documentary longlist has been published, see below.

Previously, November 17: Organizers of the British Independent Film Awards have confirmed their upcoming ceremony will delay from its traditional end-of-year dates to February, 2021, moving in line with this year’s major awards shows.

This week, the BIFAs will unveil its various longlists of awards, which will be whittled down to its final nominations, to be revealed on December 9.

Today, the New Talent awards longlists have been unveiled, featuring a total of 46 directors, writers and producers. Each of the below will participate in BIFA’s Springboard scheme, a tailored program of professional development and peer to peer support.

Best Documentary

The Art Of Political Murder Paul Taylor, Teddy Leifer, Regina K. Scully

The Australian Dream Daniel Gordon, Stan Grant, Sarah Thomson, Nick Batzias, Virginia Whitwell,...

‘The Reason I Jump’, ‘White Riot’ also make the list.

Films about Irish singer Shane MacGowan and natural historian David Attenborough are among the 13 titles on the best documentary longlist for the 2020 British Independent Film Awards.

The longlist is the final of four to be announced this week, following lists for new talent, most promising newcomer and international film.

Julien Temple’s Crock Of Gold: A Few Rounds With Shane MacGowan is a look at the celebrated Irish punk musician and singer, combining archive and family footage with animation. It debuted at San Sebastián in September; Altitude has the rights for the UK and Ireland,...

In today’s Mipcom Roundup, the English Premier League announces a pay-per-view plan for games, while Spanish-language producers Ánima and Touché Films team up, the BBC and Prince William back new Silverback Films series and ITV partners with Charter Spectrum to order a new Two Brothers Pictures series.

Sports

Britain’s English Premier League (Epl), the world’s most lucrative domestic soccer league, came under fire yesterday after announcing that games not selected for open broadcast by Sky Sports or BT Sport will be made available on a pay-per-view basis for a per-match fee of £14.95 ($19.51) after Oct. 17 via BT Sport Box Office and Sky Sports Box Office platforms.

The change will see half of each round of fixture’s games taken off of Sky, BT and the BBC, where they had been available since the league returned to action in June, and made only available via pay-per-view.

With fans not...

The BBC is working with Our Planet producer Silverback Films on a five-part climate crisis series that will mark the launch of Prince William’s Earthshot Prize.

Inspired by John F. Kennedy’s Moonshot, the Earthshot prize will hand out million-pound grants to people working on evidence-based solutions to the world’s biggest environmental problems.

Ahead of the first awards in fall 2021, Silverback’s Earthshot: How To Save Our Planet (working title) will feature Prince William, scientists, environmentalists, and wildlife experts showing us exactly how planet Earth can be brought back from the brink. The BBC will also broadcast the Earthshot awards themselves.

Earthshot: How To Save Our Planet is executive producered by Alastair Fothergill and Keith Scholey, while the series producer is Jonnie Hughes. It was commissioned by BBC chief content officer Charlotte Moore and Jack Bootle.

Moore said: “The BBC is proud to be the broadcast partner with...

“I am David Attenborough, and I am 93.” So begins the latest (and potentially last) documentary that bears his name, as the revered English broadcaster and natural historian looks into the camera and reintroduces himself for the umpteenth time with all of his usual warmth and honesty. But such a pointed hello is enough to establish that “David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet” will be a bit different than “David Attenborough’s Natural Curiosities,” “David Attenborough’s Conquest of the Skies 3D,” and the scads of ecologically minded (and more generically titled) shows graced with his awe, curiosity, and brandied speaking voice.

For one thing, Attenborough is onscreen throughout much of this urgent film, which might surprise viewers who know him as the disembodied narrator of the epic nature series he’s made with the BBC in the Blu-ray era. Beyond that, it’s striking how Attenborough isn’t just...

Silverback Films made a splash last year with Emmy-winning natural history hit “Our Planet,” which quickly became Netflix’s most-watched docuseries soon after launching.

Narrated by Sir David Attenborough, the ground-breaking series mixed jaw-dropping scenes of nature with an urgent reminder to viewers that everything they are witnessing on screen is imperilled by human activity.

This month, Silverback returns with feature documentary “David Attenborough: A Life On Our Planet.”

Billed as Attenborough’s witness statement to the world, it documents the famed 94-year-old naturalist’s life in filmmaking, the destructive impact of humans on the natural world — and his vision for change to save the planet.

Backed by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the film has a theatrical release around the world from Sept. 28, and will then launch globally on Netflix this autumn, and is also accompanied by a book.

“When David first started travelling in the 1950s, the natural world was pretty much intact,...

In today’s TV news roundup, Netflix unveiled the trailer for “Deaf U,” and Amazon Prime Video set a premiere date for “Truth Seekers.”

Dates

Netflix announced that “David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet,” a documentary on broadcaster David Attenborough and his past experiences visiting the wild places on Earth, will come to the platform on Oct. 4. Attenborough, who lent his voice to the likes of “Planet Earth” and “The Blue Planet,” has traveled the globe over his decades documenting nature. The documentary aims to address challenges life on our planet faces while also offering a message of hope. It is directed by Alastair Fothergill, Jonnie Hughes and Keith Scholey. Watch a trailer below.

Netflix also shared the upcoming dates for new seasons of “Carmen Sandiego” and “The Last Kids on Earth,” as well as premiere dates for “The Cabin with Bert Kreischer” and “Dream Home Makeover.” Season 3 of animated series “Carmen Sandiego,...

Disney+ finally launched in the UK during the last week of March with a fairly robust library that included a massive collection of The Simpsons from its recently-acquired Fox catalogue, but there was a little rough with the smooth, as the streaming service decided to include just two episodes of its flagship Star Wars live-action series, The Mandalorian, and there were some clear discrepancies between the bonuses of being a Us and UK subscriber – there hasn’t yet been a peep out of Disney+ on the whereabouts of Frozen 2, nor has there yet been any news of a premiere date for Pixar’s Onward or Lucasfilm’s Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.

Also in the wind is the possibility that Marvel’s Black Widow, which has been removed from the theatrical release schedule due to the Covid-19 pandemic, might end up streaming on Disney+. As it stands, this...

Of the two Disneynature nature documentaries that arrive on Disney + on April 3, “Dolphin Reef” is the shorter and breezier of the two, and the one that doesn’t carry the news value of having Meghan Markle as a narrator, the way “Elephant” does. The film has also followed a meandering path to its release, coming out two years ago in France under the title “Blue” and changing its narrator from Cecile de France (for the French version) to Owen Wilson to Natalie Portman along the way.

And yet despite the delays and detours, “Dolphin Reef” is a satisfying entry in the Disneynature slate, albeit one where the dolphins in the title are upstaged by some of their supporting cast, and the reef itself is even more spectacular than the creatures who get the most screen time.

Think of it, maybe, as the “Goodfellas” of nature docs, with the peacock mantis...

Out of the vast universe of nature documentaries, I don’t think I’m alone in finding films about life under the sea to occupy a special place. The very fact that they exist, of course, is amazing — though when you watch one, part of the wonder is that you’re not thinking about how aquamarine filmmakers actually hovered in the ocean depths to shoot this stuff. Jacques Cousteau, the pioneer of the genre, liked to place himself at the center of things, but the creators of “Dolphin Reef,” a Disneynature doc that drops on Disney Plus on April 3, simply get out of the way and let the ancient creatures of the sea seduce us with their surreal evolutionary form-follows-function wild splendor.

Shot around an idyllic chain of small Polynesian islands, “Dolphin Reef” does indeed trace the rituals, movements, and sheer shining beauty of a pod of bottlenose Pacific dolphins.

In recognition of Earth Month, Disney+ announced today the Disneynature film Elephant, narrated by Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex, will premiere on April 3 alongside previously announced Dolphin Reef with narration by Academy Award&#174-winning actress Natalie Portman. Following its theatrical release last year, the Disneynature film "Penguins" will also make it's Disney+ debut on April 3.

The Earth Month collection on Disney+ will also contain additional Disneynature titles premiering on the service on April 3 including In the Footsteps of Elephant, A Life on the Edge and Diving with Dolphins which give viewers behind-the-scenes access into the unique filmmaking process of all three films.

These captivating films will join an already robust collection of animal and nature titles highlighted throughout the month including National Geographic's America's National Parks, Wild Yellowstone, The Flood, Jane, Before the Floods, Planet of the Birds, Sea of Hope: America's Underwater Treasures, Kingdom of the White Wolf, Tree Climbing Lions,...

Disney+ documentary Elephant is getting a royal voiceover after the streamer confirmed that Meghan Markle is to narrate the film.

The doc, produced by Disneynature, will launch on the digital platform on April 3.

This comes after her husband, Prince Harry, was overheard to have to lobbied former Disney CEO Bob Iger to help his wife get voiceover work. Disney noted that the film would be narrated by Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex, one of the last times that she will be able to use that title before she gives it up at the end of the month.

Directed by Mark Linfield, co-directed by Vanessa Berlowitz and Alastair Fothergill, and produced by Mark Linfield, Vanessa Berlowitz and Roy Conli,...

Wildscreen, the British conservation organization known especially for its biennial film festival, has undergone a revamp, appointing new leadership and acquiring the industry group Natural History Network. The organization has also set the dates for its 20th anniversary festival, to take place in October 2020.

Laura Marshall, CEO of Icon Films, has been named the new chair of Wildscreen’s board, taking over from former BBC Worldwide director Peter Phippen. Current trustees Keith Scholey and Lynn Barlow will continue to serve, and will be joined by newcomers Julian Hector, head of the BBC Natural History Unit, and Jessica Sweidan, founder of Synchronicity Earth. Other new board members include digital entrepreneur Andrew Doe, accountant and trustee Nicholas Rogers, and lawyer Con Alexander.

The new board takes charge following what sources say has been a difficult period financially for Wildscreen, which is a nonprofit organization. Last December, amid rumors that the organization was in trouble,...