The Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival is pleased to announce the Preliminary Jury’s selection of films entered into its 2005 competition. Over twenty Judges representing the Festival’s Board of Directors made this determination over a field of more than 600 category entries. Final judging will take place in September immediately prior to the Festival and will be announced at the Awards Ceremony and Gala Dinner Thursday, September 22nd. All films entered into competition are eligible for the Grand Teton Award (Best of Festival) sponsored by Panasonic Broadcast.



Best Animal Behavior
Ants - Nature’s Secret Power Adi Mayer Films, ORF, Docstar, WDR

Capuchins – The Monkey Puzzle BBC Natural History Unit, BBC Worldwide, Animal Planet, Discovery Communications

Meerkat Manor: Episode 2 Discovery Networks International, Oxford Scientific Films



Best Children’s Program

Dragons: A Fantasy Made Real Animal Planet, Darlow Smithson, Tandem Communications

Earthling Wolfgang Bayer Productions, Earthnative Films

Jeff Corwin Unleashed: Man and Nature Popular Arts Entertainment, Spectrum Productions, Discovery Kids Channel



Best Earth Sciences Program Sponsored by American Geological Institute

Hot Rocks – Geology of Civilization: Risky Rocks The Open University, BBC4, The Science Channel

Miracle Planet II – Evolution of Our World: The Violent Past NHK Enterprises 21, The

Science Channel, Tele Images International, National Film Board of Canada, Telepool

The Year Without Summer Cicada Films



Best Environmental Program Sponsored by Conservation International

The Good, the Bad, and the Grizzly Nature/WNET, Moore & Moore Productions

Homeland: Four Portraits of Native Action The Katahdin Foundation

Strange Days on Planet Earth: Troubled Waters National Geographic Television & Film,Vulcan Productions, Sea Studios Foundation



Best Limited Series

Deep Jungle Nature/WNET, Granada Wild, National Geographic Channel International,France 5

Europe – A Natural History BBC, ORF, ZDF

Nile BBC Natural History Unit, Discovery Channel Productions



Marion Zunz Newcomer Award

The Last Goosekeeper Henrik Helsgaun

The Sloth: Hardly a Deadly Sin Jeri Ledbetter

Under Their Skin Will Clark, Melissa Pentecost



Best Nonbroadcast Program

Aliens of the Deep Earthship Productions

Eagle Odyssey RSPB Film Unit

Roar—Lions of the Kalahari Tim Liversedge Productions, National Geographic



Best People & Animals Program Sponsored by National Geographic

Strange Days on Planet Earth: Predators National Geographic Television and Film, Vulcan Productions, Sea Studios Foundation

Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom: Heart of a Lioness ORTV, Animal Planet

The Good, the Bad, and the Grizzly Nature/WNET, Moore & Moore Productions



Best Short Program

Bravo & Chance: The Cheetah Coalition 42 Degrees North Films

Devil's Teeth Roger Teich

Ride of the Mergansers Steve Furman



Best Theatrical Program

Deep Blue BBC Natural History Unit, BBC Worldwide

Grizzly Man Lions Gate Films, Discovery Docs

March of the Penguins Bonne Pioche, National Geographic Feature Films, Warner Independent Pictures



Best Web Presentation

British Isles – A Natural History BBC Science & Nature Online for BBC Learning & Interactive

Deep Jungle Nature/WNET, Granada Wild, National Geographic Channel International, France 5

NOVA: The Wave That Shook the World NOVA WGBH- TV, Pioneer Productions



Best Achievement in Sound Sponsored by Dolby Laboratories

Massive Nature: The Crossing BBC Natural History Unit, BBC Worldwide, Animal Planet

Editors: Ken Barton, Kate Hopkins

Dubbing Mixers: Richard Crosby, Pete Davies, Martyn Harries

Earthling Wolfgang Bayer Productions, Earthnative Films

Sound recordist: Dustin Vandenbroeke

Editing/Mixing: DBC Sound

Forces of Nature Graphic Films, National Geographic

Sound recordist: Alex MacInnis Design: Michael McDonough, MPSE

Mixing: Lora Hirschberg, Gary Rizzo



Best CGI/Animation Award

Alien Planet Evergreen Films LLC, Discovery Channel

CGI: Meteor Studios

Dragons: A Fantasy Made Real Animal Planet, Darlow Smithson, Tandem Communications

CGI: Framestore

Natural History of Britain and Europe: Ice Age BBC Natural History Unit




Best Cinematography Award Sponsored by Eastman Kodak Company

Mississippi – Tales of the Last River Rat @GB Films Ltd., BBC, Discovery Channel

Cinematography: Neil Rettig

Roar—Lions of the Kalahari Tim Liversedge Productions, National Geographic

Cinematography: Tim Liversedge

Tigers of the Emerald Forest Mike Birkhead Associates, BBC, Animal Planet

Cinematography: Gordon Buchanan





Best Editing Sponsored by LaserPacific Media Corporation

Deadly Love National Geographic Television & Film

Editor: Emmanuel Mairesse

Roar—Lions of the Kalahari Tim Liversedge Productions, National Geographic

Editors: Lori Petersen Waite, Mark Fletcher

When Animals Attract National Geographic Television & Film

Editors: Bonnie Cutler-Shear, Mickey Greene



Best Musical Score

Deep Blue BBC Natural History Unit, BBC Worldwide

Composer: George Fenton

March of the Penguins Bonne Pioche, National Geographic Feature Films, Warner Independent Pictures

Composer: Alex Wurman

Mississippi – Tales of the Last River Rat @GB Films Ltd., BBC, Discovery Channel

Composer: David Poore



Best Writing Sponsored by Non-Fiction Exchange

Earthling Wolfgang Bayer Productions, Earthnative Films

Writers: Tristan Bayer, Kenneth Courtney

March of the Penguins Bonne Pioche, National Geographic Feature Films, Warner Independent Pictures

Based on the Screenplay by Luc Jacquet & Michel Fessler

Narration by Jordan Roberts

NATURE: Holy Cow Nature/WNET, Icon Films

Writer: Harry Marshall



Special Consideration

Aliens of the Deep Earthship Productions

Defying categorization, this film uniquely conveys an understanding of the interrelations between geosystem and biosystem. Combining excellent scientific inquiry with remarkable technology innovation, the program inspires discovery and exploration to viewers of all ages.


In addition to these prestigious film awards, the Festival will honor several filmmakers, conservationists, and scientists with special awards. On Monday, September 19, Dr. E.O. Wilson will receive the Conservation Action Award, sponsored by Amphibico, Inc., following a special reception courtesy of Conservation International. During the Awards Ceremony on Thursday, September 22, a filmmaker will be award with the FFC Conservation Filmmaker of the Year Award, generously sponsored by Off the Fence. The Festival will conclude on Saturday, September 24 by honoring Dr. Jane Goodall with the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award, sponsored by Nature/WNET.