Wildscreen, the international natural world storytelling industry, has announced the nominees for its prestigious Panda Awards 2026. This year’s awards have a total of 70 nominees, with National Geographic leading the pack with 15 nominations.
The network’s productions, including “Secrets of the Bees”, “Time and Water”, and “Chameleon Corridors”, have secured four nods each. “Secrets of the Bees”, produced by Silverback Films and executive produced by James Cameron, uses groundbreaking filming technology to uncover the fascinating world of bees. The show has been recognized in categories such as Behaviour, Children’s, Cinematography, and Editing.
Another National Geographic production, “Time and Water”, has also received four nominations for its poetic exploration of glaciers and their impact on our planet. Directed by Sara Dosa and produced by Signpost Pictures, the documentary is a reflection on the effects of climate change on our environment and is nominated in categories such as Cinematography, Editing, Music, and Scripted Narrative.
“Chameleon Corridors”, a documentary about Tanzania’s Eastern Arc Mountains, has also been recognized in four categories, including Emerging Talent, Impact, Children’s, and Short. Produced by AFRISOS, the film tells the story of this unique ecosystem through the eyes of an endemic chameleon.
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) received 11 nominations, including commissions made to mark Sir David Attenborough’s 100th birthday. “Wild London” and “Secret Garden” are among the nominated BBC productions.
The BBC’s “Tiger Island” also received three nominations, alongside National Geographic’s “Pole to Pole”. “Tiger Island” follows a team of filmmakers and big cat experts as they uncover the secret lives of tigers on a remote island in Nepal. “Pole to Pole”, featuring Will Smith, takes viewers on a journey across all seven continents and is nominated in categories such as Series, Cinematography, and On-Screen Talent.
This year, Wildscreen has introduced a new category, Digital-First, to recognize the importance of digital storytelling in bringing diverse nature stories to a wider audience. The inaugural nominees include “Bloomin’ Octopus”, “Conservation Entangled on Mongabay”, “Filming Madagascar’s Rarest Animals”, and “Nature Ain’t A Luxury”.
The 2026 shortlist includes productions where at least 60% of the directors identify as individuals currently underrepresented in the industry, such as BIPOC, women, part of the LGBTQIA+ community, neurodiverse, or living with a disability.
The winners will be announced at the Panda Awards ceremony on October 22, 2026, at the Apex Hotel in Bath, UK. This event will mark the end of the Wildscreen Festival, which has moved to Bath after 44 years in Bristol, in an effort to make the event more affordable for both the charity and attendees.
