*May 2020: “Best of Show”, “Award of Excellence: Documentary Feature” for MT. SUSWA – LIFE IN A VOLCANO at IndieFEST Film Awards, U.S.A.
Jury statement for Mt. Suswa – Life in a Volcano, “Best of Show”:
“Volcanoes are temperamental, dangerous and deadly. Not the ideal place for wildlife. But Mt. Suswa in Kenya is a volcano like no other: it hosts a multitude of life both above and below its surface. Caverns formed from old lava flows are now home to many species – a living arrangement not found anywhere else in the world. Gulo Productions, under the astute direction of director / biologist Goetzl and his exceptional team, deliver a “never been told” story of these remarkable inhabitants. Wildlife filmmaking is not for the faint of heart – days, even weeks in hides, impossible landscapes and harsh conditions are endured to get that one perfect shot. Mt Suswa delivers in every aspect of filmmaking – authentic animal behavior combined with unique cinematography (even infrared to capture night time activities!), a sweet emotional pull, pitch-perfect music, exceptional sound design, sharp editing and plenty of humor to tell the story. Features a wild “Baboon Parliament” (named by the local Maasai), a feisty wild dog family taking care of an injured family member, and a very protective elephant mother are just some highlights of this outstanding nature doc that is both enlightening and wildly entertaining. World renown Goetzl and his team have worked with NDR, BBC, Disneynature, Discovery Channel, National Geographic, Animal Planet, Smithsonian Channel and many more. Stunning cinematography by Ivo Nörenberg and Giuseppe Bucciarelli, lively narration by Colin Solman, music by Jörg Magnus Pfeil and Siggi Mueller, sound design Sven-Michael Bluhm. Aired NDR.
*March 2020: “Award of Excellence Special Mention: Documentary Short”, “Award of Excellence: Nature/Environment/Wildlife”, “Award of Excellence: Direction”, “Award of Excellence: Editing”, “Award of Excellence: Cinematography”, “Award of Excellence: Original Score” for MT. SUSWA – LIFE IN A VOLCANO at Accolade Global Film Competition, U.S.A.
Jury statement for Mt. Suswa – Life in a Volcano, “Award of Excellence Special Mention: Documentary Short”:
“Goetzl brings his exceptional wildlife filmmaking talents to Mt. Suswa in Kenya – the only place in the world where baboons roost in caves. A rare and mysterious place – showcasing an abundance of wildlife and previously unseen behaviors. A well-crafted script, exceptional footage, entertaining narration and beautiful cinematography. Aired NDR”.
* 11th March 2020:UNTER AFRIKAS AFFEN – DAS ABENTEUER (Making Of),NDR, 9.00 pm (WORLD PREMIERE) and immediately before at prime time 8.15 pm – also NDR – the main film AFRIKAS GEHEIMNISVOLLE WELTEN – DIE INSEL DER AFFEN (= LOST KINGS OF BIOKO).
* 03. März 2020: LOST KINGS OF BIOKO and other finalists will be celebrated in the UN Headquarters in New York City !
Jackson Wild, the Secretariat of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) are excited to announce the finalists of the World Wildlife Day Film Showcase: Biodiversity.
The judges – professional filmmakers, scientists and stakeholders from around the world – chose the finalists from over 300 entries.
Winners will be announced at UN Headquarters in New York at a high-level event on Tuesday, March 3 to observe World Wildlife Day, and then both the finalists and winners will be showcased at screenings around the world.
* January 2020: “Grand Prize 2019 Humanitarian Award” for LOST KINGS OF BIOKO at IndieFEST Film Awards, U.S.A.
* October 2019: “Award of Excellence Special Mention: Nature/Environment/Wildlife”, “Award of Excellence: Direction”, “Award of Excellence: Editing”, “Award of Excellence: Cinematography”, “Award of Excellence: Original Score” for LOST KINGS OF BIOKO at IndieFEST Film Awards, U.S.A.
* October 2019: “Nomination for German Nature Film Award” for LOST KINGS OF BIOKO at Darßer Naturfilmfestival, Germany.
* September 2019: “Gold Dolphin Award in Category Nature, Environment & Ecology” for LOST KINGS OF BIOKO at Cannes Corporate Media & TV Awards, France.
* September 2019: “Best of Festival” for LOST KINGS OF BIOKO at Green Screen, International Wildlife Film Festival, Germany.
* August 2019: “Best Picture”, “Best Cinematography”, “Best Editing”, “Best Original Music Score” for WHITE WOLVES – GHOSTS OF THE ARCTIC at Los Angeles Independent Film Festival Awards (LAIFFA), U.S.A.
* August 2019: “Award of Excellence Special Mention: Nature/Environment/Wildlife” for WHITE WOLVES – GHOSTS OF THE ARCTIC at IndieFEST Film Awards, U.S.A.
* July 2019: “German Wildlife Film Award” for LOST KINGS OF BIOKO at NaturVision, International Nature and Wildlife Film Festival, Germany.
* July 2019: “Outstanding Achievement Award: Documentary Feature” for LOST KINGS OF BIOKO at Impact DOCS Awards, U.S.A.
* June 2019: “Award of Excellence Special Mention: Documentary Short”, “Award of Excellence Special Mention: Nature/Environment/Wildlife” for LOST KINGS OF BIOKO at Best Shorts Competition, U.S.A.
* May 2019: “Best of Show” and “Award of Excellence: Nature/Environment/Wildlife” for LOST KINGS OF BIOKO at Accolade Global Film Competition, U.S.A.
* May 2019: “Best of Festival – Arrábida Grand Prize”, “1st Prize in Category Nature and Wildlife”, “Best Director/Direction”, “Best Cinematography”, “Best Script/Screenplay”, “Best Music”, “Best Sound” for WHITE WOLVES – GHOSTS OF THE ARCTIC at Finisterra Arrábida Film Art & Tourism Festival, Portugal.
* April 2019: “Gold World Medal – Nature and Wildlife” for WHITE WOLVES – GHOSTS OF THE ARCTIC at Television & Film Awards / New York Festivals, U.S.A.
* April 18th, 2019: World Premiere of LOST KINGS OF BIOKO at IWFF Missoula, U.S.A.
* January 2019: “Award of Excellence Special Mention: Documentary Feature”, “Award of Excellence: Nature/Environment/Wildlife”, “Award of Excellence: Direction”, “Award of Excellence: Editing”, “Award of Excellence: Cinematography” for WHITE WOLVES – GHOSTS OF THE ARCTIC at Impact DOCS Awards, U.S.A.
* December 2018: “Cigogne D’or – Best Of Festival” for WHITE WOLVES – GHOSTS OF THE ARCTIC at Fifale Rabat, Festival International du Film Animalier et de l’Environnement, Morocco.
* December 2018: “Best of Show” for WHITE WOLVES – GHOSTS OF THE ARCTIC at Best Shorts Competition, U.S.A.
* October 2018: “German Nature Film Award – Best Story” for WHITE WOLVES – GHOSTS OF THE ARCTIC at Darßer Naturfilmfestival, Germany.
* October 2018: “Grand Prize of the City of Innsbruck – Documentaries Nature” for WHITE WOLVES – GHOSTS OF THE ARCTIC at INFF, Innsbruck Nature Film Festival, Austria.
* September 2018: “Best of Festival” for WHITE WOLVES – GHOSTS OF THE ARCTIC at Green Screen, International Wildlife Film Festival, Germany.
* August 2018: “Best of Festival” for WHITE WOLVES – GHOSTS OF THE ARCTIC at Animal Behavior Society Film Festival, U.S.A.
* August 2018: “Award of Excellence Special Mention: Nature/Environment/Wildlife”, “Award of Excellence: Direction”, “Award of Excellence: Editing”, “Award of Excellence: Cinematography” for WHITE WOLVES – GHOSTS OF THE ARCTIC at Accolade Global Film Competition, U.S.A.
* July 2018: “German Wildlife Film Award” for WHITE WOLVES – GHOSTS OF THE ARCTIC at NaturVision, International Nature and Wildlife Film Festival, Germany.
* November 2017 – March 2018: Bioko / Equatorial Guinea: Also in this project our last shooting has been inside the inner crater of the biggest volcano of this island (‘Gran Caldera de Luba’). A peculiar bird (Picathartes) was to be discovered and also Black Colobus – another charismatic monkey species. The rare bird we saw shortly but unfortunately couldn’t film but the monkeys we got at the steep caldera cliffs. The real stars of that expedition have been frogs and sunbirds as well as the impressive caldera itself. And also our main character the drill we could film high up in the canapé. A truly fascinating project with many never seen animals.
* April 2017 – May 2017: Kenya: Our last shoot inside the volcano. After we shot good additions concerning the baboon parliament and the lava tubes, we dared to do the descent into the inner crater of the volcano Mt. Suswa to camp on hot steam vents… . Pure sauna! Great expedition with Giuseppe Bucciarelli, Alain Lusignan and our Masai friends.
* November 2016 – March 2017: Our colleague Justin Jay and his crew started our 2nd shoot about drills (Mandrillus leucophaeus poensis) on Bioko Island already in November. We joined them in January. Extraordinary location with an extremely charismatic monkey species. Fantastic crew!
* May – August 2016: Back on Ellesmere – this time it was crazy: We filmed how a rival wolf pack has raided our wolf den and killed all 5 pups on our day 5 in the field: Afterwards weeks without wolves… . Time for side stories… . But we found a new den and continued shooting. Great trip but extremely exhausting. Thanks to Joosep Matjus for joining us as 2nd cameraman.
Arctic wolves at the den site.
Arctic wolves at the den site.
* March / April 2016: Back on Ellesmere (down to -40°C, windchill down to -49°C): We found our wolf pack from last summer again!
* January 2016 – March 2016: We started to produce our film “Lost Kings of Bioko” about the charismatic Drill on the island of Bioko / Equatorial Guinea – in cooperation with Justin Jay and Drill Films. Fantastic place! Great monkey!
* November 2015 – 4th January 2016: Back in Kenya and the volcano.
* May to August 2015: Shooting with the new ARRI Alexa Mini and Canon 50-1000mm on Ellesmere Island in northernmost Canadian arctic. A dream comes true! Arctic wolves are gorgeous!
Arctic wolves at the den site.
Arctic wolves at the den site.
* April 2015: News from Kenya: We are producing a documentary about the volcano Mount Suswa and the unique baboon parliament there – in cooperation with Giuseppe Bucciarelli and Terra Conservation Films. More shoots are planned for November / December 2015 and later in 2016.
Olive baboons (left) and Gulos (right) [Photo: Alain Lusignan].
Grizzlies play fighting in Yellowstone.
* 2013/2014: We’re working for the new Disneynature theatre movie “Monkey Kingdom“ (please also look here: “SEQUENCE WORK”).
* JACKSON HOLE WILDLIFE FILM FESTIVAL 2013:
Our film JUNGLE BOOK BEAR has been nominated for “BEST ANIMAL BEHAVIOR PROGRAM” at the “other” world’s most prestigeous Wildlife Film Festival, the JACKSON HOLE WILDLIFE FILM FESTIVAL in Jackson Hole, Wyoming / U.S.A., too. This time the episode “KALAHARI” of the new BBC landmark series “AFRICA” received the award. But another production for which GULO contributed sequence work has been awarded at JHWFF 2013: FROZEN PLANET – episode 5: WINTER received the award for “BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY“. The Award Ceremony took place on Thursday, 26th September 2013 at the “Center Of The Arts” in Jackson Hole.
“Animal Behaviour Award” for JUNGLE BOOK BEAR
18th October 2012 at the WILDSCREEN Festival in Bristol / England.
Ivo Nörenberg (left) & Oliver Goetzl (right) with Sir David Attenborough (narrator of JUNGLE BOOK BEAR) [Photo: Klaus Müller].
Our film JUNGLE BOOK BEAR has won the “ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR AWARD” at the world’s most prestigeous Wildlife Film Festival WILDSCREEN in Bristol, England. Furthermore another production for which GULO contributed sequence work has been awarded with a PANDA at WILDSCREEN 2012: FROZEN PLANET – episode 5: WINTER has won the “PANASONIC CINEMATOGRAPHY AWARD“.
Three more nominations for PANDA AWARDS – which are considered as the “OSCARS” of the wildlife film industry – have completed the huge success for GULO FILM PRODUCTIONS in 2012: JUNGLE BOOK BEAR has been nominated for “FILMS @ 59 SOUND AWARD“, WILD SCANDINAVIA – FINLAND has been nominated for “PANASONIC CINEMATOGRAPHY AWARD” and WILD SCANDINAVIA – represented by the GULO-episode “FINLAND” and the episode “Norway” (nautilusfilm) – has been nominated for “SERIES AWARD“.
* IN PRODUCTION:
AMERICA’S NATIONAL PARKS – “YELLOWSTONE” + “YOSEMITE”: 2x 50 min episodes for NDR Naturfilm DocLights and National Geographic. The 9-part series is expected to be broadcasted in 2015.
Yellowstone: Bison at “Grand Prismatic Spring”.
Yosemite: Jeffrey’s Pine at night [Photo: Alain Lusignan].
