Sarah Ziegler, Simon Straetker & Joshi Nitchell
When thinking of wilderness, images of untouched landscapes come to mind. Diverse forests, rushing rivers, massive glaciers. But does truly untouched nature still exist in Europe? A young film team sets out to discover the last natural treasures of our continent. They quickly realize that wilderness is much more than a point on the map.
Wilderness ensures biological diversity, helps the climate, and protects habitats. However, not everywhere does wilderness receive the protection it needs. The last untouched areas are threatened by illegal logging, poaching, and destruction.
On their travels to Southern and Eastern Europe, young filmmakers and photographers Sarah Ziegler, Simon Straetker, and Joshi Nichell meet a series of inspiring individuals, including mountaineers, nature wardens, activists, and scientists. What unites them all is a deep love for nature and an unwavering passion to advocate for its preservation. For example, there is Roberto, who has been advocating for brown bears in Spain for over forty years; Mican, who follows his vision as a national park ranger in Montenegro; and Romana, who dedicates herself as a biologist in Austria to the hidden world of insects.
In a powerful visual and film-based multimedia presentation, the film team takes the audience, among other places, to the primeval forests of Romania, the Cantabrian Mountains, and the underwater world of the Mediterranean. The presentation is a tribute to nature and humorously and movingly shows how beautiful and fragile Europe's wilderness is and how significant it is for all of us.
Simon Straetker is a filmmaker, globetrotter, and environmental ambassador who produces inspiring films and photographs about the most remote areas of the earth. He has been awarded the German Nature Conservation Prize and was included in the Forbes Magazine list of "30 under 30 Europe" in the category of Arts in January 2017.
Sarah Ziegler is a filmmaker and diver. She studies biology and works at the film production company Black Forest Collective. She is on the board of Wild Europe e.V., a non-profit organization that promotes wilderness and biodiversity through multimedia projects in Europe.
Joshi Nichell studies conservation biology and Catholic theology and has been fascinated by the power of nature since childhood, often spending weeks on the road with his backpack. He works as a wildlife filmmaker, nature photographer, and travel lecturer.
Hallo, ich bin Maya.
