WCFF 2026
The Wildlife Conservation Film Festival (WCFF) is a global film festival that showcases and supports independent films dedicated to the protection of wildlife and the conservation of Earth’s biodiversity through interactive and engaging events.
Our mission is to inform, engage and inspire audiences about the upmost need for and importance of the protection of global biodiversity. We do this through the annual film festivals around the world, including New York, Los Angeles, Naples, Florida, and Monterrey, Mexico.
This year we will have a four day non-competitive event (June 11th-14th, 2026) at the Cape May Point Arts and Science Center, in Cape May, New Jersey, USA showcasing a selected number of nominee films before the finals event that will take place at the beautiful and prestigious Elite Cinema Theater in the City of Monterrey, Mexico (September 18th-20th, 2026).
Moreover, WCFF continues its strategic alliance with Ecoflix, the first not-for-profit streaming channel dedicated to protecting animals and the planet. This partnership offers filmmakers the optional opportunity to participate on the online Ecoflix platform, providing increased global access to submitted films and the potential to generate income through online ticket sales.
Competitive Awards
Wild Asia
If They Were Us: The Humpback Whales of the Sargasso Sea
If They Were Us: The Humpback Whales of the Sargasso Sea
Directed by: Matthew Wright
United Kingdom
Winner: Best Feature
First Place: Ecosystems
Second Place: Best Cinematography - Feature
If They Were Us: The Humpback Whales of the Sargasso Sea
If They Were Us: The Humpback Whales of the Sargasso Sea
If They Were Us: The Humpback Whales of the Sargasso Sea
Directed by: Andrew William Stevenson
Bermuda
First Place: Marine Ecosystems
Finalist: Best Feature
Third Place: Best Cinematography - Feature
Finding Juba
If They Were Us: The Humpback Whales of the Sargasso Sea
At the heart of the jungle
Directed by: Justin Purefoy
Canada, United Kingdom
First Place: Best Cinematography - Feature
Second Place: Humans and Nature
Semi-Finalist: Best Feature
At the heart of the jungle
At the heart of the jungle
At the heart of the jungle
Directed by: Hugo Hebbe
France
Third Place: Humans and Nature
Semi-Finalist: Best Feature
Vantara: Sanctuary Stories
At the heart of the jungle
Vantara: Sanctuary Stories
Directed by: Forrest Galante
United States
First Place: Endangered Species
Quarter-Finalist: Best Feature
Heart of a Lion
At the heart of the jungle
Vantara: Sanctuary Stories
Directed by: Joe Pontecorvo
United States
Quarter-Finalist: Best Feature
Nominee: Humans and Nature
Scales - The Tipping Point
100 Years of Kruger National Park with Dirk Steffens
100 Years of Kruger National Park with Dirk Steffens
Directed by: Bruce Young
South Africa
Second Place: Endangered Species
Quarter-Finalist: Best Feature
100 Years of Kruger National Park with Dirk Steffens
100 Years of Kruger National Park with Dirk Steffens
100 Years of Kruger National Park with Dirk Steffens
Directed by: Annette Scheurich, Sabine Steffens
Germany
First Place: Conservation
Quarter-Finalist: Best Feature
THE COLOSSUS OF THE TUNDRA
100 Years of Kruger National Park with Dirk Steffens
The Guardians of the Archipelago
Directed by: Carlos Pérez Romero
Spain
First Place: Terrestrial Ecosystems
Nominee: Best Feature
The Guardians of the Archipelago
Guardians of Yellowstone, The Yellowstone Cougar Project
The Guardians of the Archipelago
Directed by: Alonso I. Rodríguez de la Parra
France
Second Place: Marine Ecosystems
Nominee: Best Feature
Guardians of Yellowstone, The Yellowstone Cougar Project
Guardians of Yellowstone, The Yellowstone Cougar Project
Guardians of Yellowstone, The Yellowstone Cougar Project
Directed by: Max Freund, Andy Adkins, William Freund
United States
Nominee: Best Feature
The HAWK WATCH Documentary
Guardians of Yellowstone, The Yellowstone Cougar Project
Guardians of Yellowstone, The Yellowstone Cougar Project
Directed by: Alicia Wszelaki, Matthew Nothelfer
United States
First Place: Birds - Feature
Nominee: Best Feature
JELLYFISH, THE NEW RULERS OF THE OCEAN
JELLYFISH, THE NEW RULERS OF THE OCEAN
JELLYFISH, THE NEW RULERS OF THE OCEAN
Directed by: Sebastien Lafont
France
Third Place: Marine Ecosystems
Nominee: Best Feature
"Light for Wildlife"
JELLYFISH, THE NEW RULERS OF THE OCEAN
JELLYFISH, THE NEW RULERS OF THE OCEAN
Directed by: Martin Buzora
Kenya
Second Place: Conservation
Nominee: Best Feature
LEK: Listening at the Edge
JELLYFISH, THE NEW RULERS OF THE OCEAN
LEK: Listening at the Edge
Directed by: Andy Lorimer
United States
Winner: Musical
Second Place: Birds - Feature
Nominee: Best Feature
Trade Secret
The Song of Trees
LEK: Listening at the Edge
Directed by: Abraham Joffe
Australia, United Kingdom
Third Place: Endangered Species
Nominee: Best Feature
The Song of Trees
The Song of Trees
The Song of Trees
Directed by: Jay Jaeun Chin
South Korea
Third Place: Conservation
Nominee: Best Feature
Horse Power
The Song of Trees
The Song of Trees
Directed by: Rob Sullivan
United Kingdom
Nominee: Best Feature
Nominee: Conservation
Orangutans – The mysterious People of the Forest
Orangutans – The mysterious People of the Forest
Orangutans – The mysterious People of the Forest
Directed by: Henrike Franske
Germany
Nominee: Best Feature
Nominee: Conservation
The Cloud Kingdom
Orangutans – The mysterious People of the Forest
Orangutans – The mysterious People of the Forest
Directed by: Philippe Moreau
France
Second Place: Ecosystems
Nominee: Best Feature
PHINDA
Orangutans – The mysterious People of the Forest
Guided by Horses
Directed by: Will Clothier
United Kingdom
Nominee: Best Feature
Guided by Horses
JAVA & BALI – The Element Of Suprise
Guided by Horses
Directed by: Sean O'Reilly
Australia
Nominee: Best Feature
Beauty & Seduction in nature
JAVA & BALI – The Element Of Suprise
JAVA & BALI – The Element Of Suprise
Directed by: Juan Luis Santos Martínez, Pablo Valdivieso Domínguez, Luis Miguel Ruiz Gordón
Spain
Third Place: Ecosystems
Nominee: Best Feature
JAVA & BALI – The Element Of Suprise
JAVA & BALI – The Element Of Suprise
JAVA & BALI – The Element Of Suprise
Directed by: Patrick Centurioni
Indonesia
Nominee: Best Feature
Nominee: Endangered Species
The Wash — Britain's Secret Wilderness
Hunters and Herders - The Last Nomads to Roam the Earth
Directed by: Christopher Weston
United Kingdom
Nominee: Best Feature
Nominee: Ecosystems
Hunters and Herders - The Last Nomads to Roam the Earth
Hunters and Herders - The Last Nomads to Roam the Earth
Directed by: Tomaso Grossi
Italy
Winner: Best Short
First Place: Humans and Nature
First Place: Micro-Budget
For Deer Life
Directed by: Yaz Ellis
Austria
Finalist: Best Short
Nominee: Humans and Nature
The Seed Bearers last walk
1971 - The Return of a Relic
Directed by: Bryan Little
South Africa
Semi-Finalist: Best Short
Nominee: Humans and Nature
The 'other' Taylor Swift
1971 - The Return of a Relic
1971 - The Return of a Relic
Directed by: Justin Anderson
United Kingdom
First Place: Birds - Short
Semi-Finalist: Best Short
1971 - The Return of a Relic
1971 - The Return of a Relic
1971 - The Return of a Relic
Directed by: Jonas Stenstrom
Sweden
Second Place: Micro-Budget
Quarter-Finalist: Best Short
Nominee: Humans and Nature
Hi
The Last Fin
Trans-Taiga
Directed by: Elena Goldberg
Netherlands
Quarter-Finalist: Best Short
Nominee: Humans and Nature
Trans-Taiga
The Last Fin
Trans-Taiga
Directed by: Alex Côté
Canada
Quarter-Finalist: Best Short
The Last Fin
The Last Fin
Breaking Ice: The Making of Cracks In the Ice
Directed by: Lexi Addison
Indonesia
First Place: Nano-Budget
Quarter-Finalist: Best Short
Breaking Ice: The Making of Cracks In the Ice
Breaking Ice: The Making of Cracks In the Ice
Breaking Ice: The Making of Cracks In the Ice
Directed by: Jason Lindsey
United States
First Place: Freshwater/Water Cycle
Second Place: Nano-Budget
Nominee: Best Short
Chasing Coexistence
Breaking Ice: The Making of Cracks In the Ice
UNWILD: Sanctuary for Life
Directed by: Ieuan Rose
United Kingdom
Second Place: Student
Nominee: Best Short
UNWILD: Sanctuary for Life
Breaking Ice: The Making of Cracks In the Ice
UNWILD: Sanctuary for Life
Directed by: Jason Amendolara
United States
Nominee: Best Short
Nominee: Conservation
Crayfish: End of Days?
VANA OLI (The Light of the forest)
Directed by: Finn Varney
United Kingdom
Nominee: Best Short
Nominee: Endangered Species
VANA OLI (The Light of the forest)
VANA OLI (The Light of the forest)
Directed by: Sitara Karthikeyan
India
First Place: Student
Third Place: Micro-Budget
Nominee: Best Short
Nominee: Conservation
Stone Biter: Saving the Arctic Sea Forests
Directed by: Ismaele Tortella
Norway
Nominee: Best Short
Nominee: Conservation
Horn Maker
Mr Appolinaire - Nature's Champion
Directed by: Juliette Marquis
Ireland, Italy, Spain, United States
Nominee: Endangered Species
The Right Whale.
Mr Appolinaire - Nature's Champion
Mr Appolinaire - Nature's Champion
Directed by: Nick Dean, Cheryl Holmen Dean
United States
Nominee: Endangered Species
Mr Appolinaire - Nature's Champion
Mr Appolinaire - Nature's Champion
Mr Appolinaire - Nature's Champion
Directed by: Garth Kingwill
Cameroon
Nominee: Endangered Species
Freezing the Future for Wolves
Freezing the Future for Wolves
Directed by: Victoria Ziglar
United States
Nominee: Endangered Species
KRTN
Freezing the Future for Wolves
Directed by: Ghaneshwaran Balachandran
Malaysia
Nominee: Endangered Species
Nominee: Nano-Budget
Risky Routes
Directed by: Jonas Steiner
Switzerland
Nominee: Endangered Species
Catch 22 ('Een Duivels Dilemma')
Guardians of the Blue: Rays and Sharks of the Canary Islands
Directed by: Aart van Dijk
Netherlands
Nominee: Marine Ecosystems
Guardians of the Blue: Rays and Sharks of the Canary Islands
Guardians of the Blue: Rays and Sharks of the Canary Islands
Guardians of the Blue: Rays and Sharks of the Canary Islands
Directed by: Jose Herhandez Viera
Spain
Nominee: Marine Ecosystems
The NET
Guardians of the Blue: Rays and Sharks of the Canary Islands
Guardians of the Blue: Rays and Sharks of the Canary Islands
Directed by: Julia Ochs, Klaudyna Brzostowska
Germany, Poland
Nominee: Marine Ecosystems
The Snake and The Whale
The Snake and The Whale
The Snake and The Whale
Directed by: John Carlos Frey
United States
Nominee: Marine Ecosystems
Refuge Keepers
The Snake and The Whale
The Snake and The Whale
Directed by: Maggie Burnette Stogner
United States
Nominee: Marine Ecosystems
Birds' Guardian
The Snake and The Whale
Vårdanser: Echoes of Forgotten Myths
Directed by: Gamal Fadel Maaodhah
Yemen
Third Place: Birds - Feature
Honorable Mention: Conservation
Vårdanser: Echoes of Forgotten Myths
Vårdanser: Echoes of Forgotten Myths
Vårdanser: Echoes of Forgotten Myths
Directed by: Albert Michaud
Canada, United Kingdom
Second Place: Birds - Short
Nominee: Student
Owl Hill
Vårdanser: Echoes of Forgotten Myths
The Hornbill Promise
Directed by: Sean Restivo
United States
Third Place: Birds - Short
Nominee: Nano-Budget
The Hornbill Promise
Vårdanser: Echoes of Forgotten Myths
The Hornbill Promise
Directed by: Safique Hazarika, Vinod Reddy
India
Nominee: Birds - Short
Wings over the Platte
Overlooked: A Silent Extinction
Constellations of the Sea
Directed by: John Gussman
Nominee: Birds - Short
Constellations of the Sea
Overlooked: A Silent Extinction
Constellations of the Sea
Directed by: Addie Akina Knoll
United States
Third Place: Student
Overlooked: A Silent Extinction
Overlooked: A Silent Extinction
Overlooked: A Silent Extinction
Directed by: Cathy Ellington
United Kingdom
Nominee: Student
The Guinan Sand Lizard
Snake Island: The Volcanic Life of Sea Kraits
Overlooked: A Silent Extinction
Directed by: Yihe Chen
United Kingdom
Nominee: Student
Nominee: Nano-Budget
Snake Island: The Volcanic Life of Sea Kraits
Snake Island: The Volcanic Life of Sea Kraits
Snake Island: The Volcanic Life of Sea Kraits
Directed by: John Roney
Canada
Third Place: Nano-Budget
Where Devils Return
Snake Island: The Volcanic Life of Sea Kraits
Snake Island: The Volcanic Life of Sea Kraits
Directed by: Jasmine Corbett
United Kingdom
Nominee: Micro-Budget
Waiting for Alstonia
INTO THE CARPATHIAN WILD_Winter
Waiting for Alstonia
Directed by: Elodie Freymann
Uganda, United Kingdom
Nominee: Micro-Budget
The Puma Hunter
INTO THE CARPATHIAN WILD_Winter
Waiting for Alstonia
Directed by: Burnham Arlidge
United Kingdom
Nominee: Micro-Budget
INTO THE CARPATHIAN WILD_Winter
INTO THE CARPATHIAN WILD_Winter
INTO THE CARPATHIAN WILD_Winter
Directed by: Erik Baláž
Slovakia
Second Place: Terrestrial Ecosystems
The Ancient Forest
Samaná: The Last Free Flowing River of Antioquia
INTO THE CARPATHIAN WILD_Winter
Directed by: Irina Schaepman, Vladislav Grishin
Russian Federation
Third Place: Terrestrial Ecosystems
Water Guardians
Samaná: The Last Free Flowing River of Antioquia
Samaná: The Last Free Flowing River of Antioquia
Directed by: Zac Lazarou
United Kingdom
Second Place: Freshwater/Water Cycle
Samaná: The Last Free Flowing River of Antioquia
Samaná: The Last Free Flowing River of Antioquia
Samaná: The Last Free Flowing River of Antioquia
Directed by: Cameron Atlas
United States
Third Place: Freshwater/Water Cycle
Water is Life
Cannibal Oasis
Cannibal Oasis
Directed by: Richard Mack
United States
Nominee: Freshwater/Water Cycle
Cannibal Oasis
Cannibal Oasis
Cannibal Oasis
Directed by: Donny Kelley-Currens
United States
First Place: Aquatic Ecosystems
LIFE STREAM
Cannibal Oasis
Accidental Nature
Directed by: Yang Liu
China
Second Place: Aquatic Ecosystems
Accidental Nature
On Sensitivity: Herd, Hive, and Pod
Accidental Nature
Directed by: Pauline Sunhee Choi
France, South Korea
First Place: Animation
On Sensitivity: Herd, Hive, and Pod
On Sensitivity: Herd, Hive, and Pod
On Sensitivity: Herd, Hive, and Pod
Directed by: Isaac Grenader
United States
Second Place: Animation
The Chorus of Tongues
On Sensitivity: Herd, Hive, and Pod
On Sensitivity: Herd, Hive, and Pod
Directed by: Emma Hsiao
United States
Third Place: Animation
UNTIL THE LAST BREATH
Silent Messenger among the Cloudy Ridges: The Re productive Mystery of Alishan Salamanders
Hope for the Guadalupe
Directed by: Ewa Ewart
Poland
First Place: Education
Hope for the Guadalupe
Silent Messenger among the Cloudy Ridges: The Re productive Mystery of Alishan Salamanders
Hope for the Guadalupe
Directed by: Ben Masters
United States
Second Place: Education
Silent Messenger among the Cloudy Ridges: The Re productive Mystery of Alishan Salamanders
Silent Messenger among the Cloudy Ridges: The Re productive Mystery of Alishan Salamanders
Silent Messenger among the Cloudy Ridges: The Re productive Mystery of Alishan Salamanders
Directed by: Lin Yin
Taiwan
Third Place: Education
The Ocean Within
The Ocean Within
Silent Messenger among the Cloudy Ridges: The Re productive Mystery of Alishan Salamanders
Directed by: Rory McKellar
Ukraine, United Kingdom
First Place: Fiction or Docu-Fiction
Overkill
The Ocean Within
Overkill
Directed by: Kelly Robinson
United States
Second Place: Fiction or Docu-Fiction
Honorable Mentions
OVERBURDEN
Directed by: Sarita West
Germany, United States
Category: Best Feature
A Country Worth Burning
Directed by: Ralph Owen Bloemers
United States
Category: Best Feature
Madre Agua
Madre Agua
Directed by: Natalia Garza Salem
Mexico
Category: Best Feature
Spiral
Bears in Hot Tubs
Madre Agua
Directed by: Mina Sadat Hosseini
Iran
Category: Best Short
Bears in Hot Tubs
Bears in Hot Tubs
Bears in Hot Tubs
Directed by: Claire Musser, Maddie Bear
United States
Category: Best Short
BOCA
Bears in Hot Tubs
Bears in Hot Tubs
Directed by: Diego Villasenor
Mexico
Category: Best Short
Madre Ceiba
Holbox: Sharks and the people from the Sea
Holbox: Sharks and the people from the Sea
Directed by: Sylvia Johnson, Carlos Rivero
Costa Rica
Category: Best Short
Holbox: Sharks and the people from the Sea
Holbox: Sharks and the people from the Sea
Holbox: Sharks and the people from the Sea
Directed by: Nadia Tamara Rubio
Mexico
Category: Best Short
Stories from the Blue: Saving Koholā
Holbox: Sharks and the people from the Sea
Stories from the Blue: Saving Koholā
Directed by: Nick Zachar
United States
Category: Best Short
Årt
The Puma Hunter
Stories from the Blue: Saving Koholā
Directed by: Felix Sturmberger
Austria
Category: Best Short
The Puma Hunter
The Puma Hunter
The Puma Hunter
Directed by: Burnham Arlidge
United Kingdom
Category: Education
Jury Special Award
The Lost Claws Of Anatolia
Puma Matriarchs of Torres Del Paine
The Lost Claws Of Anatolia
Directed by: Mert Can Altun
Türkiye
Outstanding AI Film
Moon Crab
Puma Matriarchs of Torres Del Paine
The Lost Claws Of Anatolia
Directed by: Leah Clare Michaels
United States
Outstanding Conservation of Crustaceans
Puma Matriarchs of Torres Del Paine
Puma Matriarchs of Torres Del Paine
Puma Matriarchs of Torres Del Paine
Directed by: David P. Glatz, Shiela P. Glatz
United States
Outstanding Habitat Conservation