The Briefing Room

The Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival is pleased to announce the selection of Finalists for its 2009 Film Competition. Judges from around the world representing the Festival’s Board of Directors viewed 425 films from 25 countries entered into some 750 categories, for a record number of submissions.

Considered the highest honor of the “nature and environment” film genre, the 2009

Winners will be announced at the Awards Ceremony and Gala Dinner Thursday, October 1st. Peer-judged craft categories including Cinematography, Editing, Original Score, Special Venue, Sound & Writing will be announced July 20th. Special thanks to the preliminary and peer judges who worked hard to bring us these results.

Award Sponsorships are a wonderful way to recognize an outstanding film and congratulate the filmmakers. Sponsors announce the finalists on Awards Night and present the winner with an award. The Film Guide acknowledges the Sponsor and features a complimentary quarter page black and white ad on the corresponding pages. To become a Sponsor, please email Carrie Noel (carrie@jhfestival.org).

Best Animal Behavior Program

CRIMSON WING

Natural Lights Films, Kudos Pictures Productions, Disneynature

GORILLA KING

Tigress Productions, Ltd, Nature/THIRTEEN, BBC

WHAT FEMALES WANT AND WHAT MALES WILL DO, Episode 2

Pangolin Pictures, Nature/THIRTEEN

Best Wildlife Habitat Program

CRIMSON WING

Natural Lights Films, Kudos Pictures Productions, Disneynature

THE FOREST: FIGHT FOR LIGHT

Nautilus Film, Studio Hamburg GmbH Documentaries, NDR Naturfilm, Arte, ORF

YELLOWSTONE: WINTER

BBC Natural History Unit, Animal Planet

Best Conservation Program

COAL COUNTRY

Evening Star Productions, Norman Star Media

DIVISION STREET

Frogpondia Films

GREEN

Tawak Pictures

Best People & Nature Program

GORILLA MURDERS

National Geographic Television

LEGEND OF PALE MALE

Birdjail Productions

SNOW LEOPARD: BEYOND THE MYTH

BBC Natural History Unit, Animal Planet

THERE’S A RHINO IN MY HOUSE

Oxford Scientific Films, Animal Planet

Best Limited Series

NATURE’S GREAT EVENTS

BBC Natural History Unit, Discovery, Wanda Vision

THE SECRET LIFE OF ELEPHANTS

BBC Natural History Unit, Animal Planet

YELLOWSTONE

BBC Natural History Unit, Animal Planet

Best Children’s Program

ARCTIC TALE

National Geographic, Paramount Vantage, Visionbox Films

FROG, CHEMICAL, WATER, YOU

The Smithsonian Women’s Committee, Jennifer Grace, MSU

ONCE UPON A TIDE

Center for Health and the Global Environment/Harvard Medical School, Sea

Studios Foundation, Laika/house, Funjacket Enterprises

Best Presenter-led Program

CHARLES DARWIN & THE TREE OF LIFE

Sir David Attenborough

BBC Natural History Unit, Open University

THE HUMAN SPARK

Alan Alda

THIRTEEN, Chedd-Angier-Lewis Productions

THE REAL GREMLIN

Nick Baker

Icon Films, Animal Planet International, Five, ITV Global Entertainment

Best Short Program

A CORAL GARDENER

BBC Natural History Unit

RETHINK THE SHARK

Save Our Seas Foundation, Saatchi & Saatchi

SMALL TALK DIARIES: CHANGELING

Ammonite, Off the Fence, CBBC, Big Squid New Media

Marian Zunz Newcomer Award

DIVISION STREET

Eric Bendick, Frogpondia Films

SWAMP TROOP

Adrian Bailey, Road Media

National Geographic Channel, National Geographic Channels International

THE WHITE WOOD

Lou Astbury

Best Theatrical Program

CRIMSON WING

Natural Lights Films, Kudos Pictures Productions, Disneynature

EARTH

BBC Natural History Unit, Disneynature, BBC Worldwide, Greenlight Media, B8

Media, Discovery Channel

WILD OPERA

Images Studio, Studio Saint Antoine, Inc., Animal Planet International,

Marathon International

Best Nonbroadcast Program

AMUR RIVER BASIN

Craig Miller Productions, Inc., World Wildlife Fund

FROG, CHEMICAL, WATER, YOU

The Smithsonian Women’s Committee, Jennifer Grace, MSU

SANTA CRUZ ISLAND: RESTORING BALANCE

The Ocean Channel

Best Earth Sciences Program

ARE WE ALONE

Optomen Productions, Discovery Channel

HOW THE EARTH WAS MADE: ICELAND

Pioneer Productions, The History Channel

LANDSLIDE DETECTIVES

KQED-QUEST

O2: THE MOLECULE THAT MADE OUR WORLD

ORF Universum / NHU, Burning Gold Productions, AV Dokumenta, BMUKK, BBC

Best 360 Campaign

DIRTY SECRETS

National Geographic Television, Sea Studios Foundation

RETHINK

Save Our Seas Foundation

SPRINGWATCH

BBC Natural History Unit

Best Web Presence

www.bbc.co.uk/bigcat/BIG CAT LIVE

BIG CAT LIVE

BBC Natural History Unit

www.alexandracousteau.com

EXPEDITION: BLUE PLANET

Blue Legacy, International

www.SAVEOURSEAS.COM

Save Our Seas Foundation

Best Use of Web 2.0/New Media

www.alexandracousteau.com

EXPEDITION: BLUE PLANET

Blue Legacy, International

www.SAVEOURSEAS.COM

Save Our Seas Foundation

www.kqed.org/quest

KQED-Quest

www.WILDEARTH.TV

WildEarth Media, Hancock Wildlife Foundation, The Institute for Wildlife Studies

Outstanding Achievement

Preliminary judges selected three films to be recognized for a specific outstanding achievement in technology, innovative storytelling, use of CGI or 3-D, in-field challenge or other extraordinary accomplishment. These awards will be presented as part of the Awards Ceremony at the Festival on October 1.

EARTH

BBC Natural History Unit, Disneynature, BBC Worldwide, Greenlight Media, B8 Media, Discovery Channel

GORILLA MURDERS

National Geographic Television

WHALE WARS

Animal Planet