INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION 28th GPFF
LIONS OF THE SKELETON COAST
WILL E LIANNE STEENKAMP - AUSTRIA AND NETHERLANDS | 2024 | 52’
In an astonishing true story, lion researcher Philip Stander witnesses extremely unusual behaviour as he follows three desert lion cubs as they overcome a tough struggle for survival in one of the world’s most inhospitable environments, the Skeleton Coast in Namibia.
I MULI IN MONTAGNA, UN’ALTERNATIVA
PHILIPP LANDAUER E DAVIDE DEMICHELIS - GERMANY | 2023 | 32’
Luciano Ellena loves mules so much that he has dedicated his life to an art in danger of disappearing, that of the “sumpter”, a term derived from the old French “sommetier” and meaning “mule driver”. Luciano made his living with mules, taking them to graze steep meadows or transporting goods over the mountains together with Katty. Now, together with Paolo, who is about to open an alpine hut at 2,300 metres for the next three months, Luciano’s services really come in handy.
WILD TRANSYLVANIA: THE LAND BEYOND THE FOREST
JOHN MURRAY E JAMIE FITZPATRICK - IRELAND AND ROMANIA | 2024 | 52’
A prestigious special dedicated to wildlife in one of the most iconic places in the world: Transylvania. A mythical land beyond the forests, it is home to some of Europe’s last wildernesses. Famous as the home of Dracula, amidst ruined castles and dark legends, it hides a genuine and authentic soul. Protected by the Carpathians and isolated for decades by the communist regime, this region has preserved an extraordinary ecosystem, untouched since the Middle Ages. The largest population of brown bears in Europe lives here, along with magnificent lynxes and packs of wild wolves. Storks nest in medieval villages, while bats – including the great bat – inhabit castles and fortified churches, hunting in the forests at nightfall. The Carpathian Mountains offer pristine peaks, valleys furrowed by crystal-clear streams and flowery meadows unique in Europe. Among the flowers and insects, hoopoes and bee-eaters migrate from the south to raise their young. Transylvania, steeped in history and scarred by repression, finds a living memory in its wilderness. Paradoxically, the dictatorship has better protected fauna than humans, and respect for nature still remains deep. Transylvania: land beyond the forest, where history, folklore and nature come together in wild magic.
HIDDEN SPIRIT
URI MAGNUS - ISRAEL | 2024 | 30’
Unable to find rest after the death of his sister, Amit Eshel embarks on an arduous journey to the Altai Mountains in Mongolia. Climbing dangerously steep slopes, descending deep gorges and crossing icy rivers, Amit refuses to give up on his dream: to find and photograph the elusive snow leopard.
A CALL FROM THE WILD
ASGEIR HELGESTAD - NORWAY E GERMANY | 2024 | 81
Filmmaker Asgeir Helgestad documents the state of nature in the country he has photographed all his life, his native Norway. From the lively bees on his farm to the wild reindeer in the high mountains and the puffins at the edge of the Atlantic, Asgeir shows the beauty of a nature under checkmate, flushing out the human actions responsible for its decline. It is a personal story about our relationship with the non-human world and the relationships between big and small, sounding a warning about the strength and vulnerability of nature.
TURTLE WALKER
TAIRA MALANEY - INDIA | 2024 | 75’
In the late 1970s, Satish Bhaskar embarked on an epic journey along the Indian coast to study remote islands and beaches in search of the Indian Ocean’s elusive sea turtles. Nicknamed “Mr Sea Turtle”, he discovered key nesting sites, including, in 1988, that of the Luth’s turtles in the Andaman Islands, confirming their presence in India for the first time. His solo expeditions are not without peril… Satish Bhaskar’s exceptional journey reminds us of the indomitable spirit of the human being and the resilience of the natural world. His story is a testament to the power of passion, perseverance and unshakable faith in hope that endures even the greatest adversity.
MASHATU: LANDS OF LEOPARDS
JULIEN NAAR - FRANCE | 2025 | 52’
In Mashatu, one of the last bastions for roaming leopards, a mother leopard has just given birth. And she will do anything to protect her two cubs. But on this barren land by day, the struggle for survival is fierce. In fact, a war between leopards is about to break out. In this 40,000-hectare enclave plagued by climate change, resources for wildlife are becoming increasingly scarce. The leopards are forced to adapt, developing new behaviours that will lead to terrible intraspecific conflicts. Will the mother leopard be able to protect her offspring from the many dangers? Will the cubs manage to master the art of survival? A captivating animal tale that follows the fate of a feline family for three years in the wild heart of Botswana. Using state-of-the-art technology, this film captures rare images of a fascinating species, revealing previously unseen behaviour.
MY SWEDEN - A CHANGING WILDERNESS
ZOLTÁN TÖRÖK - SWEDEN | 2024 | 55’
Two decades after choosing Sweden as his home, nature filmmaker Zoltán Török sets off on an emotional journey with his family to rediscover the changing landscapes and remarkable wildlife of his beloved Scandinavian country, while his family is also changing.
ZIMMER FREI? - DIE BAUKUNST DER SPECHTE
UWE MÜLLER - GERMANY | 2022 | 43’
They beat, they carve, they drum. Woodpeckers are the greatest builders in the bird world. Whether it is the great spotted woodpecker, the green woodpecker or the black woodpecker, they all build more burrows than they need for themselves. To the delight of titmice, pigeons, dwarf owls, squirrels and many other animals in search of a burrow. To convince their partners, the woodpeckers drum as loudly as possible and to seek the best resonance, they sometimes even tap on metal. Great spotted woodpeckers are open to new experiences when looking for a place to live and their burrows on the facades of isolated houses provoke resentment among the owners and quarrels among the occupants: will there still be a vacant room?