Wildscreen Festival Kenya Line-Up Announced -

Includes Exclusive Preview Screening of National Geographic’s ‘LION’, the new landmark series produced by BBC Studios Natural History Unit and Executive Producer Jon Favreau

Wildscreen has revealed the full programme for Wildscreen Festival Kenya, the continent's most influential gathering of the wildlife film, TV and content industry. Taking place in Nairobi, from the 11-12 June 2026, the two-day programme will include 11 industry sessions, two exclusive screenings, an industry pitch competition and feature packed line-up of over 35 speakers from across Africa and the international wildlife genre.

Programme and Speaker Highlights

The festival will be hosted by wildlife filmmaker and environmental scientist Pauline Kyalo and Imara Njeri wildlife photographer, filmmaker and presenter on WildEarth Live.

Speakers include:

Vanessa Linfield (Wildstar Films), Loise Makato (Royal Media Services), Wangeci Murage (Media Pros Africa), Chloe Sarosh (Wildstar Films), Johann Vorster (The Wilderness Project), Mark Linfield (Wildstar Films), Sreya Biswas (BBC Studios Natural History Unit), Akash Mehta (The Fable Fund), James Hendry (WildEarth), Job Githaka (AMP Studios), Hans Ngoteya (Ngoteya Wild), Kiki Cheptoo Ng'ok (WildWomenWildEarth) and Sam Soko (LBx Africa).

Session topics include: Live Wildlife Streaming; AI in Filmmaking, Breaking or Building Barriers; Crafting a Natural History Story; Rights, Ownership & IP; Wildlife TV for Kids and Getting Your Content Funded.

The Festival has been co-curated by the Wildscreen Festival Advisory Board, Chaired by award-winning Producer/Director, Faith Musembi. Comprised of leading voices from across the global natural history film and TV industry, conservation organisations and African wildlife storytellers the board comprises: Gladys Kosgei, Kenya Wildlife Service; Jigar Ganatra, AFRISOS; Hans Ngoteya, Ngoteya Wild; Chloe Sarosh, Wildstar Films; Sreya Biswas, BBC Studios NHU; Wambui Gathee, Docubox – East African Documentary Film Fund; Nashipae Orumoy, African Wildlife Foundation; Wangeci Murage, Media Pros Africa and Pauline Kyalo, Wildlife Filmmaker and Environmental Scientist.

Faith Musembi, Chair of Wildscreen Festival Kenya, said: "Across Africa, filmmakers are growing in confidence telling stories about wildlife, the environment and the people at the heart of it all. Wildscreen Festival Kenya is both a celebration of that creative momentum and a commitment to nurturing the next generation of storytellers as they carve out their place within the industry.”

Exclusive Screenings

Attendees will be treated to two exclusive screenings:

• National Geographic’s CHEETAHS UP CLOSE, WITH BERTIE GREGORY will screen on Thursday 11th June, followed by a Q&A with the production team including Executive Producers Vanessa Linfield and Mark Linfield from Wildstar Films, Wildlife Guide Denis Mollel and Sound Recordist Douglas Issai. Filmed in the Serengeti National Park, it follows the team as they film one of the planet’s fastest predators at the epicentre of the Great Wildebeest Migration. Using a truck-mounted gyro-stabilised camera and drones, the team keep pace with their high-speed chases, and alongside scientists, reveal how community collaboration may help secure a future for cheetahs in this iconic ecosystem.

• An exclusive preview screening of National Geographic’s LION will close the Festival on Friday 12th June. Four years in the making and filmed in Kenya’s Maasai Mara, the new landmark series follows a single pride on an epic journey. The preview will be followed by a Q&A with the Kenyan production team including Producer/Director Faith Musembi - the first Kenyan Producer/Director of a BBC Studios Natural History Production, Researcher Alice Owen, Specialist Filming Driver Wickliffe Odera and Drone Cinematographer Anthony Njuguna. The series which will stream later in the year on Disney+ is Executive Produced by Jon Favreau and Mike Gunton and is a BBC Studios Natural History Unit production for National Geographic.

WildPitch

WildPitch, the Festivals live pitching competition returns providing new or established African filmmakers the opportunity to pitch their film projects at development or production stage to a panel of international industry experts. Six finalists will pitch to win a share of a $5,000 prize pot sponsored by The Wilderness Foundation plus a place as a mentee on one of the not-for-profits future storytelling workshops.

Wildstar Foundation is supporting the event as Headline Sponsor, cementing its commitment to nurturing and amplifying global voices and talent in natural history filmmaking.

Vanessa Linfield said: “We are honoured to support Wildscreen Nairobi. The energy at the festival is always palpable and I’m excited to share ideas and meet the inspiring talent who are shaping wildlife filmmaking in Kenya and beyond.”

The University of the West of England (UWE Bristol) is supporting the event as a Major Sponsor and additional sponsors include The Wilderness Foundation, BBC Studios Natural History Unit, National Geographic and The Fable Fund.

Tickets for the Festival in-person and online are on sale here: www.wildscreen.org/wildscreen-festival-kenya

Wildscreen is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to connecting people to nature through storytelling.