“Ocean with David Attenborough” wins the Grand Prize for best documentary at the Wild Oceans FilmFest 2025 in Gijón

The documentary “Ocean with David Attenborough”, produced by Silverback Films and Open Planet Studios for National Geographic and Disney+, has won the Grand Prize for Best Documentary at the Wild Oceans FilmFest 2025, whose closing gala was held at the BIOPARC Aquarium in Gijón.

The event brought together filmmakers, scientists and science communicators in an evening marked by emotion and commitment to the conservation of the marine environment.

A journey through the deepest oceans

The British production, narrated by David Attenborough, has offered a breathtaking look at life in the planet's five oceans.

Director Toby Nowlan, who accepted the award on behalf of the team, emphasized during the ceremony "the importance of telling stories that inspire respect for the oceans and the species that inhabit them."

The Wild Oceans FilmFest, organized by the BIOPARC Foundation and the BIOPARC Aquarium of Gijón, has established itself as a meeting point between cinema, science and conservation, with the support of the Gijón City Council, Caja Rural de Asturias, MINI Triocar, Ocean 52, the European Climate Pact and the University of Oviedo.

Short films, animation and conservation

The award for Best Documentary Short Film went to “Wild Summon” (UK), a piece that combines animation and live action to narrate the salmon life cycle as a metaphor for resilience. Its directors, Karny Arieli and Saul Freed, attended the ceremony with their son Teo, dedicating the award “to all beings that struggle to survive on a constantly changing planet.”

In the Conservation Production category, the documentary “Turtle Walker” (India), co-produced by Emaho Films, HHMI Tangled Bank Studios, and Tiger Baby, took first place. Jill Ferguson, the film's impact producer, accepted the award and participated in a discussion with science communicator Álex Avello and Susana Acle, Director of Biology and Research at BIOPARC Aquarium.

During his stay in Asturias, Ferguson also gave a masterclass at the Faculty of Biology of the University of Oviedo on the power of cinema to promote environmental action.

The award for Best Production on Animal Behavior or Ecosystem Description has been given to “Asia – Beneath the Waves” (BBC Natural History Unit, UK), directed by Mark Wheeler, an underwater journey through Asian biodiversity that impressed the jury with its visual quality and scientific rigor.

The Young Directors award went to “Tahlequah the Whale: A Dance of Grief” (United States), by Daniel Kreizberg, a moving story about an orca that showed the world its grief over the loss of its calf.

In the Surf, Sailing or Diving and Conservation category, “The Big Sea” (United Kingdom), by Lewis Arnold, has won the award for denouncing the environmental and human cost associated with wetsuits used in surfing.

“Saving the Oceans” Award

The festival also paid tribute to the Spanish scientist Javier Cristobo with the "Saving the Oceans" Award, in recognition of a life dedicated to the exploration and defense of the sea as a common heritage.

Cristobo, PhD in Biology and senior scientist at the Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO-CSIC), has participated in more than 40 research projects and 30 oceanographic campaigns in seas around the world, including nine expeditions to Antarctica.

From Mozambique, where he is on a scientific mission, he expressed his gratitude for the recognition via a live connection, emphasizing that "protecting the ocean is protecting life on Earth."

Gijón, beacon of ocean cinema

The festival director, Fernando González Sitges, celebrated the growth of the event, stating that "this edition demonstrates that the festival reaches the world's major production companies, such as BBC, Disney, and National Geographic, and that Gijón is now among the international benchmarks for marine conservation films."

With this fourth edition, the Wild Oceans FilmFest has reaffirmed its commitment to making Gijón an international benchmark for environmental cinema and a meeting place for science, art and citizen engagement.

Their final message, shared by all the award winners, was unanimous, the organizers emphasized: protecting the seas is protecting life. EFEverde