Astonish Me - WWF-UK's 50th Anniversary Film
Gemma Arterton Bill Nighy and Christian McKay star in a short film by Stephen Poliakoff and Charles Sturridge about some of the extraordinary species recently found around the world. It was made to celebrate the conservation and environmental organisation WWF-UK's 50th anniversary and was released in the UK on 29 July 2011.
Stephen Poliakoff is an ambassador for the conservation and environmental organisation WWF-UK (wwf.org.uk) for whom he created a magical tale of adventure and discovery in 2011 for the charity's 50th anniversary.
Directed by Charles Sturridge and starring Bill Nighy and Gemma Arterton the film reminds us that there is still so much out there we don’t know about, and only by preserving nature can we guarantee more of these discoveries in the future. Partly filmed at the Natural History Museum in London and shown in cinemas across the UK before going online.
The breathtaking short film 'Astonish Me' showcases some of the extraordinary species recently found around the world.
Virunga - WWF-UK Short Film with Anna Friel
Virunga national park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is Africa's oldest national park and covers nearly 8,000 square miles. But oil companies are circling due to the reserves believed to lie beneath. This video, produced by WWF-UK with director Stephen Poliakoff and actor Anna Friel, aims to rally opposition to western interference
As an ambassador for the conservation and environmental organisation WWF-UK (wwf.org.uk) Stephen Poliakoff directed a three minute film, Virunga, to rally opposition to western interference.
The film opens as we journey over snow-capped mountains and volcanoes before landing in lush tropical rainforest - home to an astonishing array of wildlife including gorillas and forest elephants. The threats faced by this world heritage site from oil exploration is narrated by actress and conservation campaigner Anna Friel. The sheer beauty of the landscapes of the remote area bordering the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda and Uganda in their cinematic glory puts into perspective how a global thirst for oil is putting Virunga's future at risk.
WWF-UK believes that oil exploration could bring a new and unacceptable level of risk for Virunga's environment and communities. There is evidence that the park could develop economically without resorting to oil extraction.
This campaign, as of 2016, has proved successful: Soco Halts Oil Exploration in Africa's Virunga National Park