INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION 29th GPFF
LE CHANT DES FORÊTS
Vincent Munier - France | 2025 | 93’
Following *La Panthère des neiges*, Vincent Munier invites us into the heart of the Vosges forests. It was here that he learnt everything, thanks to his father Michel, a naturalist who spent his life in the woods tracking wildlife. Now the time has come to pass on this knowledge to Simon, Vincent’s son. Three perspectives, three generations, the same fascination with the wild. Together with them, we’ll discover deer, rare birds, foxes and lynx… and even the flapping of wings of a legendary species: the capercaillie.
PELAGOS, VOYAGE AU LARGE DE LA MÉDITERRANÉE
Frédéric Larrey and Thomas Roger - France | 2023 | 52’
The Pelagos marine ecosystem is the largest on the planet and one of the least understood. This immense blue expanse is home to fascinating and mysterious species: from plankton to whales, from large predators to the nomads of the sea. For decades, the Mediterranean – an ancient crossroads of civilisations – has been under intense human pressure and appears to be one of the seas most hostile to marine life. Yet, off its coasts, it continues to harbour a surprising wealth of biodiversity. What is the secret that allows whales, sharks, pilot whales and turtles to survive at the heart of this storm?
*Pelagos, voyage au large de la Méditerranée* tells an extraordinary story of resilience: creatures that adapt, cooperate, communicate and withstand adversity. This grand epic of the high seas reveals the many forms of intelligence within the animal kingdom and the fragile yet immense power of Nature.
*Pelagos, voyage au large de la Méditerranée* tells an extraordinary story of resilience: creatures that adapt, cooperate, communicate and withstand adversity. This grand epic of the high seas reveals the many forms of intelligence within the animal kingdom and the fragile yet immense power of Nature.
THE BIRDS
David Allen - United Kingdom | 2026 | 52’
Told through the cinematic lens of nature filmmaker Martin Dohrn, *The Birds* explores one of the little-known wonders of the English natural world. Following the zigzagging flight paths of gigantic coastal flocks over the Wash estuary, Martin attempts to capture evolution in the making, in the wake of a peregrine falcon that disrupts the breathtaking aerial choreography of thousands of birds. A documentary that reveals not only important natural mechanisms, but also the thoughts of a man coming to terms with the final stage of his career.
2000 JOURS AU PARADIS
Véronique, Anne e Erik Lapied - France | 2025 | 70’
This film chronicles a unique journey: over two thousand days spent exploring the wilderness. For eighteen years, the Lapieds have been tracking and studying mountain wildlife in the Gran Paradiso massif. Far from the beaten track, we follow Véronique, Anne and Erik as they patiently observe their subjects in the field, seeking to interpret the tracks and habits of the true masters of these valleys. They will take us with them on their stakeouts, allowing us to witness the setbacks and the waiting, as well as the pure moment of grace that is a long-awaited encounter. Through extraordinary scenes of wildlife, poetic moments and a reflection on the relationship between humankind and nature, this true story will bring us as close as possible to the craft of the nature filmmaker in a mountain environment.
ESCARGOT, LE GRAND VOYAGE DU PETIT-GRIS
Lucas Allain and Basile Gerbaud - France | 2025 | 52’
In the middle of the North Atlantic, a small group of ribbed snails hatched on one of the windswept cliffs of the Faroe Islands. Still tiny and transparent, they must learn to survive in a new world, for their homeland, thousands of kilometres away, is in fact mainland Europe. Who would ever have thought that the lives of these tiny, slimy creatures, moving at a speed close to zero, could be so adventurous?
PERICOLOSAMENTE VICINI*
Andreas Pichler - Germany e Italy | 2024 | 90’
Nowhere else in the world do bears and humans live in such close proximity as in Trentino, near Lake Garda. However, as the bear population grows, so too do dangerous encounters between humans and animals. The 20-strong team, comprising rangers and vets, which works to protect both people and animals, faces a particularly important task. When Andrea Papi, aged 26, is found dead in the forest over Easter 2023, a grim suspicion quickly emerges: Papi was killed by the bear JJ4. This incident marks the first death caused by a wild animal in Central Europe in recent history. Whilst forest rangers attempt to capture JJ4, the conflict between animal rights activists and those opposed to the bear reaches a critical point, raising urgent questions: should JJ4 be killed? How should we manage the return of large predators to our forests? When do bears become a problem? And who is the true owner of nature and the forest?
*This feature-length film contains images that may be disturbing to some viewers
JAGUAR BEACH*
Ann Prum - Costa Rica | 2024 | 52’
Off the north-western coast of Costa Rica, on the beaches of the Santa Rosa National Park, established in 1971, an
astonishing story unfolds involving sea turtles and jaguars. Biologist Luis Fonseca, who arrived to study the turtles, discovered an unexpected phenomenon: following the establishment of the park—which allowed the forest to regrow and reconnect with the sea—jaguars have found their way to the beach where sea turtles nest, and during mass nesting, the big cats prey on the female turtles. Years of observation have enabled Fonseca to recognise them individually and to study their previously unrecorded social behaviour. Whilst on most nesting beaches, smaller predators such as coyotes and wild dogs dig up the turtle eggs, on this beach it appears that the jaguars keep them at bay. Together with marine biologist Carolina Pérez, Fonseca explores a fascinating question: is it possible that jaguars contribute to the survival rate of the nests, despite being predators?
astonishing story unfolds involving sea turtles and jaguars. Biologist Luis Fonseca, who arrived to study the turtles, discovered an unexpected phenomenon: following the establishment of the park—which allowed the forest to regrow and reconnect with the sea—jaguars have found their way to the beach where sea turtles nest, and during mass nesting, the big cats prey on the female turtles. Years of observation have enabled Fonseca to recognise them individually and to study their previously unrecorded social behaviour. Whilst on most nesting beaches, smaller predators such as coyotes and wild dogs dig up the turtle eggs, on this beach it appears that the jaguars keep them at bay. Together with marine biologist Carolina Pérez, Fonseca explores a fascinating question: is it possible that jaguars contribute to the survival rate of the nests, despite being predators?
*This feature-length film contains images that may be disturbing to some viewers
LOVE BIRDS
Elliott Kennerson e Angel Morris - USA | 2025 | 27’
In 1972, the married couple and biologists George Hunt and Molly Warner made an unprecedented discovery whilst studying seagulls on one of the Channel Islands off the coast of California. To their immense astonishment, a large number of the nesting pairs they observed consisted of females. George and Molly’s research into ‘lesbian seagulls’ quickly sparked both outrage and jubilation in a state grappling
with the rise of the LGBTQ+ rights movement. *Love Birds* tells the story of two young, ambitious scientists, their love story and a chance discovery that hurls them into a cultural and political storm. Whilst their work leaves an indelible mark on history and influences generations of people within the LGBTQ+ community, it also leads to a romantic break-up that will take years to heal.
with the rise of the LGBTQ+ rights movement. *Love Birds* tells the story of two young, ambitious scientists, their love story and a chance discovery that hurls them into a cultural and political storm. Whilst their work leaves an indelible mark on history and influences generations of people within the LGBTQ+ community, it also leads to a romantic break-up that will take years to heal.
ORCHIDS: DARWIN’S CONUNDRUM
Thomas Cassar - United Kingdom | 2025 | 28’
1859. Charles Darwin has just published his theory of evolution, infuriating the self-righteous Victorians, whose great-grandparents were certainly not monkeys. To prove his theory, he decides to enlist the help of creatures that ought not to cause a stir: orchids. But even for his brilliant mind, unravelling the darkest secrets of these flowers seems impossible.
Over 140 years after Darwin’s death, the biologist Thomas Cassar, driven by a veritable obsession with orchids, sets off on a research expedition across several continents to uncover the intimate relationship between orchids and insects. Stopping off in England, the Mediterranean and Central America, we’ll follow in Darwin’s footsteps, discovering his blunders and his spot-on insights. But watch out, because in the world of orchid pollination, anything can happen: sex, lies and even murder.
Over 140 years after Darwin’s death, the biologist Thomas Cassar, driven by a veritable obsession with orchids, sets off on a research expedition across several continents to uncover the intimate relationship between orchids and insects. Stopping off in England, the Mediterranean and Central America, we’ll follow in Darwin’s footsteps, discovering his blunders and his spot-on insights. But watch out, because in the world of orchid pollination, anything can happen: sex, lies and even murder.
PANGOLIN: KULU’S JOURNEY
Pippa Ehrlich - United Kingdom | 2025 | 88’
During an undercover operation in South Africa, a man rediscovers a purpose in his life by rescuing a pangolin cub, one of the
main victims of the international wildlife trade. He leaves the city and embarks on a mission to rehabilitate the fragile animal and return it to the freedom of the wild. From the Oscar-winning director of *My Octopus Teacher* comes *Pangolin: Kulu’s Journey*, a poignant exploration of the connection between humans and the animals with whom we share the world.
main victims of the international wildlife trade. He leaves the city and embarks on a mission to rehabilitate the fragile animal and return it to the freedom of the wild. From the Oscar-winning director of *My Octopus Teacher* comes *Pangolin: Kulu’s Journey*, a poignant exploration of the connection between humans and the animals with whom we share the world.