Tag archives for film
Do You Know Where Your Antipodes Are?
Posted by Andrew Howley of NG Staff on May 2, 2013 
All day everyday, someone (or something) is living life directly opposite you, on the other side of the planet. A new film brings a few of these stories to life.
Posted by My Village, My Lobster profiles the dangerous lives of those who dive for lobster off the Caribbean coast of Central America. The toll to put food on (mostly American) plates is considerable, as divers face death and disability from decompression sickness (the bends)–brought on by improper equipment and very long work hours.
Despite the risks, economic opportunities are scarce. Fortunately, there are also safer alternatives on the horizon.
Acclaimed French environmentalist, photographer, and filmmaker Yann Arthus-Bertrand has been traveling in the U.S. to premiere his recent film Planet Ocean. Arthus-Bertrand’s photos have been published numerous times in National Geographic media, and he recently sat down with the National Geographic Channel to discuss his 2009 film Home. His new film Planet Ocean is narrated by…
Posted by When it comes to generating buzz, it’s hard to beat the Insect Fear Film Festival, which celebrates its 30th anniversary on Saturday, February 23. The lights will dim in the Foellinger Auditorium at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The screen will light up. Skin will crawl— as will a cinematic parade of members of…
“Samsara”: A Wonderful Wordless Break From Modern Media
Posted by Andrew Howley of NG Staff on August 23, 2012 Tired of hearing people talk? You’ll be hard pressed to find a better alternative than watching “Samsara,” the new completely non-verbal film from the makers of “Baraka.”
High-Speed Spider Ambush Caught on Film
Posted by Alyson Foster on August 2, 2012 
How do you film a net-casting spider catching its prey? Strap on your hiking boots, trek out into the the middle of the woods, get your camera ready, wait a long time, and then . . . don’t blink.
NG Explorer and frequent News Watch blogger Jon Bowermaster has taken home a major award at India’s environment and wildlife film festival CMS VATAVARAN, film for his documentary about oil, man, and nature in southern Louisiana called “SoLA.”ex[;l
The winning film by Trip Jennings and Andy Maser follows photographers as they search for the legendary “spirit bear”–a black bear with white fur–to draw attention to the beauty of the Great Bear Rainforest, which is endangered by plans to make this area the main Pacific port for oil from Canada’s tar sands.
Posted by Set in 1873, the summer blockbuster Cowboys & Aliens follows an outlaw (Daniel Craig), a cattle baron (Harrison Ford), and an Apache chief (Raoul Trujillo) as they fight a technologically superior foe from a foreign world. Filmed largely on location in and around Albuquerque, New Mexico, the film features breathtaking desert landscapes, gun-toting cowboys, and…
Posted by Last week a group email went out to the staff of National Geographic. This is what it said: “A package arrived at Geo…(talk about weird) 2 small bottles of Pee. Bear Urine. No… really. Can you please send a blast to see if some brave soul will claim the urine.”
The Real “Horse Whisperer”
Posted by Andrew Howley of NG Staff on June 16, 2011 The new documentary “Buck” tells the incredible life story of Buck Brannaman, whose uncanny ability to communicate peacefully and powerfully with horses inspired a book, a movie, and even the title of NG’s own “Dog Whisperer.”
Jacques Cousteau said, “People protect what they love.” It’s hard to get people to love ocean statistics. People at Blue Vision Summit 3 in Washington, D.C. this weekend are hoping perhaps they can fill in some of that gap.
Who’s Skipping School?
Posted by Anne Marie Houppert on May 16, 2011 The new Nat Geo movie, The First Grader, tells the story of a Kenyan man in his 80s who applies for a coveted spot in school along with first graders. Revisit some recent National Geographic articles illustrating the challenges which defeat many would-be students, and how education can change a life, and possibly a culture.
3D Cave Art: The Closest You Can Get to Time Travel
Posted by Andrew Howley of NG Staff on May 7, 2011 
Acclaimed filmmaker Werner Herzog presents some of humankind’s oldest art using some of its newest techniques in “Cave of Forgotten Dreams” in 3D. See what Herzog and renowned cave art expert Jean Clottes have to say about the film and their experiences making it.
Photojournalist Tim Hetherington Killed in Libya
Posted by Andrew Howley of NG Staff on April 22, 2011 Tim Hetherington, acclaimed photojournalist and filmmaker, and co-director of “Restrepo” was killed Wednesday covering the ongoing conflict in Libya, along with fellow photojournalist Chris Hondros. His final update on Twitter read, “In besieged Libyan city of Misrata. Indiscrimate shelling by Qaddafi forces. No sign of NATO.” More details are available on ABCNews.com and elsewhere. Tim…
Indigenous Lessons for Everyone
Posted by Andrew Howley of NG Staff on April 1, 2011 As part of the All Roads Film Project here at National Geographic, four films are being presented March 31-April 2, made by women from and about indigenous cultures. Among these are two by celebrated filmmaker Alanis Obomsawin of the Abenaki Nation. While many of her films deal directly with issues of First Nations people in…
Bryan Smith Talks Extreme Filmmaking
Posted by Ford Cochran on December 9, 2010 In an NG Live! event at National Geographic’s D.C. headquarters, kayaker and videographer Bryan Smith shares the endurance trials and the adrenaline rush of out-there adventure filmmaking. By Valentine Quadrat With his arms outstretched, Robin Avery takes another barefooted step across a highline in Squamish, British Colombia. A camera pan-out encapsulates the reality of the…
Hear Your Imagination: All Roads Festival Opens Tonight in D.C.
Posted by Ford Cochran on September 28, 2010 National Geographic’s 2010 All Roads Film Festival runs tonight through Sunday at the Society’s Washington, D.C. headquarters. By Ford Cochran All Roads debuted in 2004 to showcase the work of indigenous and underrepresented minority-culture storytellers and promote “knowledge, dialogue, and understanding with a broader global audience.” Now the festival includes dozens of films, photo exhibitions,…
Samson and Delilah May Get Oscar Nod
Posted by Ford Cochran on January 21, 2010 All Roads Film Project director Francene Blythe sends word that Australian filmmaker Warwick Thornton’s Samson & Delilah, about two Aboriginal teens, is among nine remaining contenders to become 2009 Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film nominees. National Geographic’s All Roads Film Festival—which features works by indigenous and underrepresented minority-culture storytellers—has showcased several of Thornton’s short…
The Wildest Dream Debuts at Banff
Posted by Amy Bucci of NG Staff on November 9, 2009 The 1924 Everest expedition. Back row, left to right: Andrew Irvine, George Mallory, Edward Norton, Noel Odell, and John Macdonald. Front row: Edward Shebbeare, Geoffrey Bruce, Howard Somervell, and Bentley Beetham. In 1999, Conrad Anker discovered the frozen body of George Mallory on Mount Everest. For years afterward, he wondered about Mallory’s quest for the…
Wild About Amreeka
Posted by Ford Cochran on July 24, 2009 My friends Lisa Truitt and Nikki Lowry with National Geographic Entertainment messaged to let me know the website, YouTube trailer, Facebook page, and Twitter feed are all up for Amreeka, a wonderful new film by Cherien Dabis. Nat Geo is distributing Amreeka—the “coming to America” story of one Palestinian family. The film was a hit…
Film: The End of the Line
Posted by Ford Cochran on June 9, 2009 Whether you live near the coast or far from any shore, if you—say—breathe, your well-being depends on a healthy ocean. Friends of the sea gathered last night at Nat Geo headquarters to commemorate World Ocean Day with a preview of the new film The End of the Line. A panel discussion with the director, marine…
Posted by I [heart] space, and I love animation. So I was tickled green to find out that NGC has put together what amounts to an animated feature-length tour of the cosmos. (Check out an <a href="“>interactive built for the show, noting that it requires the latest version of Flash to work right.) The new special, which…
Okay, not really, but I couldn’t resist. In reality, the agency has approved a new spacecraft dubbed Juno that will launch in 2011, making it into an elliptical polar orbit around Jupiter by 2016. The mission isn’t named for the teenage darling of independent film, but for the Roman goddess who was the jealous sister-wife…
