Wildpath and Grizzly Creek Films has announced that the documentary film “Path of the Panther” will open in over 40 theaters in Florida on February 24, including Miami, Orlando, Jacksonville and Tampa. “Path of the Panther” will premiere on the National Geographic Channel and stream on Disney+ in the spring.
Drawn in by the haunting specter of the Florida panther, National Geographic Explorer Carlton Ward Jr. and a coalition of biologists, ranchers, conservationists, and Indigenous Peoples find themselves on the front lines of an accelerating battle between forces of renewal and destruction that have pushed the Everglades to the brink of ecological collapse.
This odyssey of hope and heartbreak is the culmination of more than five years of field research, 500,000 still images, and over 800 hours of ultra high definition camera trap footage. Against all odds, wild panthers have been stunningly captured in their native ecosystem, as they’ve never been filmed before.
The film is the cornerstone of the ‘Path of the Panther’ project, supported by the National Geographic Society and many other partners that inspired the passage of the Florida Wildlife Corridor Act – the first legislation of its kind and a blueprint for addressing habitat fragmentation and species extinction across the globe.
The National Geographic film is directed by Eric Bendick and executive produced by Leonardo DiCaprio.
Tom Winston of Grizzly Creek Films produced the documentary, alongside Carlton Ward Jr. and Tori Linder of Wildpath. Academy Award-winning actor and activist Leonardo DiCaprio serves as executive producer with Jennifer Davisson and Phillip Watson of Appian Way Productions, in addition to Howard G. Buffet, Ted Haddock and Sigrid Tiedtke.
“This is a film that Floridians absolutely need to see on the big screen,” Bendick said in a statement. “From the never-before-seen footage of elusive panthers in the wild to the real-life heroes who are risking it all to save the species and the land they need to survive, audiences will experience action that literally jumps off the screen and moments that fill us with hope, determination and sheer awe for the beauty of wild Florida.”
Impact producer Tori Linder commented, “Path of the Panther is a testament to how Florida’s state animal is leading the way for unprecedented conservation goals and achievements across the greater United States and beyond. The production was filmed throughout the state of Florida and required the field team to manage as many as 30 photo and video camera traps over more than five years. This collaborative effort united a team of biologists, landowners and tribal members to bring the story to life. The film could not have been created without the support of the entire crew, cast, donors and local communities who find common ground with the panther’s story.”
You can watch a trailer for the film below:
Source: Deadline