NEWF’s presence at the 2025 Jackson Wild highlights the power of community-driven storytelling
Sodwana Bay, Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa –This year, two films produced and supported by the Nature, Environment & Wildlife Filmmakers (NEWF), namely ‘Wild Hope: Pangolin Protectors’ and ‘O mar para Analine (Sea to Analine)’, were named as finalists at the Jackson Wild Awards.
Each of the films reflect a strong Mozambican theme, with Pangolin Protectors being set in Gorongosa National Park and Sea to Analine, featuring a Mozambican protagonist.
“We are pleased to have played a role in the powerful impact that these films have made at this year’s Jackson Wild Awards, and we congratulate the winners in each category” said Noel Kok, Co-Founder and Executive Director of NEWF, and National Geographic Explorer. “Aside from the nominations, we also had fellows and projects featured in multiple panels, screenings, and special sessions, which is a great testament to the role that we’ve come to play as enablers and collaborators in the conservation storytelling space,” he added.
The awards ceremony, held from 29 September to 3 October in Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming USA, brought together the world’s leading voices in nature storytelling, and NEWF’s participation underscored the growing influence of African filmmakers and conservationists.
Among the highlights, NEWF fellows Dercio Muha Gomate and Labdi Ommes played participated as speakers in the “Sonic Sound” and “Wild Women” panels, sharing their experiences as storytellers, composers, and advocates for authentic representation in environmental media.
In a dedicated session, “30 Minutes with NEWF,” the team showcased eKhaya, a unique studio and mentorship hub in Sodwana Bay in Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa, to the Jackson Wild audience as a production and post-production resource. The NEWF team spoke about the opportunities for co-productions, positioning itself as a partner with access to skilled individuals, and gear, from across the continent. Adding an invitation to industry professionals to assist in terms of mentorship, hosting a workshop or by speaking at the next NEWF Congress, while emphasising collaboration as a strength, for south to south as well as globally.
“We are incredibly proud to play a part in our fellows taking their work to such an important audience” said Pragna Parsotam-Kok, Co-Founder and Executive Director of NEWF, and National Geographic Explorer. “Jackson Wild is not just about recognition and awards, it’s a platform for building partnerships, expanding networks, sharing knowledge, and amplifying the voices of those working on the frontlines of conservation.”
The event also provided opportunities for NEWF to connect with international mentors and partners to lay the groundwork for future collaborations. While the awards celebrate individual and collective excellence, NEWF’s focus remains on community impact and the ongoing journey of African storytellers.
About the nominated films:
Wild Hope: Pangolin Protectors – in 2023, NEWF partnered with Mozambique’s Gorongosa National Park, home to Africa’s only in-park Master’s in Conservation Biology program, to run a year-long fellowship with 12 African filmmakers. The African Science Film Fellowship, supported by HHMI Tangled Bank Studios, afforded the filmmakers the opportunity to be embedded in the park for two months across June and September. Each filmmaker profiled a Conservation Biology student, producing self-shot and self-edited short films. Divided into teams, they also pitched story concepts to be developed for Tangled Bank’s Wild Hope series which profiles changemakers who are restoring and protecting our natural world, with two selected for further development, one of which, Wild Hope: Pangolin Protectors, is now a finalist at the Jackson Wild Awards in the Conservation Short Form category.
In Mozambique’s Gorongosa National Park, wildlife veterinarian Elias Mubobo and a team of rangers rescue and rehabilitate pangolins, the world’s only scaled mammals and a target of the illegal wildlife trade. At the country’s only pangolin rehabilitation center, Elias not only nurses the animals back to health but also engages local children, inspiring the next generation to protect this endangered species.
O mar para Analine (Sea to Analine) is a film born out of the South-to-South Lab, hosted by NEWF in partnership with Santiago Wild in March 2025. The lab brought together filmmakers, many of them National Geographic Explorers, from across Africa and Latin America h to collaborate and produce original films in just 10 days. The film, showcased at the NEWF Annual Congress in Durban, follows Mozambican musician Muha as he creates a sonic gift for his niece, Analine, who has never seen the ocean. Through his journey of capturing the sounds of the sea, he not only connects with her but also undergoes personal growth. The film has since been named a finalist in the Global Voices category at the Jackson Wild Media Awards.”
Media enquiries:
Lebogang Serapelwane
0730634607
About NEWF
Nature, Environment and Wildlife Filmmakers (NEWF) is a platform committed to building a diverse, representative community of African conservation content creators. Through training, mentorship, funding, and internships, NEWF enables storytellers, scientists, and filmmakers to bring African perspectives to global environmental conversations.
To learn more about NEWF, visit: https://www.newf.co.za/
