Shannon film wins wildlife Oscars

A film version of the hugely popular “The Secret Life of the Shannon”, which was aired on RTE in two parts last May and June, has won the grand prize at the Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival - dubbed the Oscars of wildlife film-making.

“On a River in Ireland” by Crossing the Line Productions for RTE was announced the winner of the Grand Teton award at a gala last Thursday, September 26 in Wyoming in America.

It beat off competition from 540 films competing for 23 special awards, after more than 100 international judges viewed more than 3,500 hours of footage.

The film also won awards for best wildlife habitat programme and best editing.

A number of other local areas featured heavily in the two-part documentary that was aired on RTE on May 26 and June 2 last. Filmed over two years, internationally renowned wildlife presenter Colin Stafford Johnson brought viewers on a spectacular journey along the River Shannon, revealing the secret lives of its wild inhabitants thanks to the latest camera technologies.

“The Secret Life of the Shannon” followed the river from dawn to dusk through four seasons, capturing its ever changing moods. It also explored the river system’s waterways, islands and lakes, all the while pushing the boundaries of wildlife film-making in Ireland.

The Crossing the Line team used a host of technique to bring never before filmed Irish sequences and stories to Irish viewers. Most notably, the team used the cutting edge Phantom High Speed Camera, which was used in Christopher Nolan’s film “Inception”, to slow down and capture fast moving animals in all their glory.