Wildscreen ’12: Fothergill, “My Life as a Turkey” win Panda Awards

October 18, 2012 by Kelly Anderson

The Wildscreen Panda Awards were doled out to the top wildlife films of the year, with the BBC’s Frozen Planet claiming the most trophies, Passion Pictures’ My Life as a Turkey picking up the Golden Panda award, and a surprise appearance by Sir David Attenborough (pictured, right) to present the Outstanding Achievement Award to Alastair Fothergill (left).

At the event Thursday night (October 18) in Bristol, England, the BBC’s blue-chip series Frozen Planet picked up the Panasonic cinematography award, the Films @59 sound award, and the series award, which it shared with the BBC and Discovery Channel’s Human Planet.

In the last award given out of the night, the WWF Golden Panda award went to My Life as a Turkey, a coproduction between the BBC’s NHU and PBS’s ‘Nature.’ The win comes after the program earlier this year picked up the Factual Entertainment Awards prize for Best Non-Fiction with Recreations at Realscreen West in Santa Monica.

Passion Pictures’ David Allen accepted the Golden Panda, stating that the jury “is absolutely mad,” before adding: “It’s the legacy of the Golden Panda and I’m really proud to be part of it.”

Elsewhere, Attenborough, who originally wasn’t going to be able to attend the festival, came to the stage as a surprise to present Fothergill with the Outstanding Achievement Award, for his contributions to wildlife. Fothergill’s career highlights include heading up the NHU in 1992 before stepping down to produce Planet Earth, Frozen Planet and The Blue Planet.

“I had absolutely no idea,” Fothergill said, upon accepting the award. “I’m only 52. There’s an awful lot to come.”

“A lot of people in our industry work alone. I’m fortunate not being that person. Everything I’ve achieved has been with large teams,” he added. “This is for everyone I worked with in the past and in the future.”

Other films that took home Panda Awards included Jungle Book Bear, Flying Monsters 3D, Hippo: Nature’s Wild Feast and Meet the Sloths.

Meet the Sloth’s filmmaker Lucy Cooke told realscreen after her win: “I’m really thrilled. It came about in a really unconventional way, because of a video that went viral. Thanks to social media, there’s a load of ways to get your film commissioned.”

The full list of winners follows below:

3D Award – Flying Monsters 3D
A production by Atlantic Productions for BSkyB

Animal Behaviour Award – Jungle Book Bear
A production by Gulo Film Productions and NDR Naturfilm/ Doclights in coproduction with NDR, ARTE, ORF, BBC, National Geographic Wild in cooperation with ZDF Enterprises

Award To Promote Filmmakers From Developing Countries – Ganga – Ribbon of Life
A production by Cinema Vision India commissioned by Ministry of Environment & Forest, Government of India

BBC Newcomer Award – Water Brothers: Valley of the Damned
The Water Brothers, An SK Film Production, filmmakers: Tyler Mifflin & Alex Mifflin

Campaign Award – TRUST Alaska
A production by Witness in coproduction with Our Children’s Trust & iMatter Campaign

Children’s Choice Award – Super Smart Animals: Episode 1
A BBC and Discovery Channel coproduction

Discovery People and Nature Award – My Life as a Turkey
A production by Passion Pictures commissioned by BBC NHU and PBS

Disneynature Innovation Award – Hippo: Nature’s Wild Feast
A production by Tigress Productions

Earth Sciences Award – How to Grow a Planet: Life from Light
A production by BBC Scotland

Editing Award – The Green Universe (Unser Wald – Das Grüne Wunder)
A production by nautilusfilm – Natural History Germany and NDR Naturfilm / Doclights in coproduction with NDR, Polyband Medien, editor: Carla Braun-Elwert

Films@59 Sound Award – Frozen Planet: Episode 1 – To the Ends of the Earth
A BBC, Discovery Channel, Antena 3 Television, ZDF, Skai, Open University Co-Production in association with Discovery Canada, sound: Kate Hopkins & Graham Wild

Jury’s Special Selection for Screening – Hummingbirds: Jewelled Messengers
A Terra Mater Factual Studios & Free Spirit Films Production

Music Award – The Last Lions
A production by National Geographic in coproduction with Wildlife Films & National Geographic Entertainment, music: Alex Wurman

New Media Award – Kinect Nat Geo TV: America the Wild
A production by Grizzly Creek Films in coproduction with Microsoft Xbox Studios, Nat Geo WILD & Relentless Software

Panasonic Cinematography Award – Frozen Planet: Episode 5 Winter
A BBC, Discovery Channel, Antena 3 Television, ZDF, Skai, Open University coproduction in association with Discovery Canada, camera: Frozen Planet Team

Presenter-Led Award – How to Grow a Planet: Life from Light
A production by BBC Scotland, presenter: Prof Iain Stewart

Script Award – How to Boil a Frog
A production by Fools Bay Entertainment, scriptwriter: Jon Cooksey

Series Award (Joint Winners) – Frozen Planet: Episode 1 – To the Ends of the Earth and Episode 2 – Spring
A BBC, Discovery Channel, Antena 3 Television, ZDF, Skai, Open University coproduction in association with Discovery Canada

Human Planet: Grasslands – Roots of Power and Jungles – People of the Trees
A BBC & Discovery Channel coproduction (UNITED KINGDOM)

Short Film Award – Secret Life of Plankton
A production by Tierney Thys, Parafilms & Christian Sardet

The Nature Conservancy Environment & Conservation Award – Saving Rhino Phila
A production by NHU Africa

Theatrical Award – African Cats
A production by Disneynature

UWE Popular Broadcast Award – Meet the Sloths
A production by Blink Entertainment in coproduction with Pink Tree Frog Productions

WWF Golden Panda Award – My Life as a Turkey
A production by Passion Pictures commissioned by BBC NHU & PBS

Tags: Alastair Fothergill, My Life as a Turkey, Sir David Attenborough, Wildscreen Golden Panda Award, Wildscreen Panda Award