Elizabeth Chai Vasarhely and Jimmy Chin won an Oscar for Best Documentary Feature, a BAFTA, and seven Emmy awards for their 2018 film “Free Solo,” about rock climber Alex Honnold. Now the pair are back with a new National Geographic documentary, “Wild Life.” Fresh off its surprise screening at the Telluride Film Festival last September, the doc gets another one at SXSW this weekend before hitting theaters and streaming this Spring.
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So what’s “Wild Life” about? Well, it focuses on former Patagonia CEO and president and co-found of Tompkins Conservation, Kristine Tompkins and her decades-long project on wilderness conservation. The film follows Kris and her husband, Doug Tompkins, as they work to create new national parks in Chile and Argentina. Shot on location in both countries, “Wild Life” charts both the beauty of the natural world and Kris and Doug’s efforts begin another chapter of their professional lives.
“Jimmy and Chai have honored Doug’s and my life’s work in a profound, moving way,” Kris said in a statement. “I am grateful. I can only wish that “Wild Life” offers a semblance of hope and reminds anyone who sees it that whoever you are and wherever you live you can make a difference in this world. Our work at Tompkins Conservation — restoring the planet by creating parks on land and sea and rewilding — is constant and ongoing.”
Vasarhely and Chin had this to say about their latest film: “As filmmakers, we have always loved telling stories about human potential and the power of the human spirit. We love examining what humans can achieve when they commit to the impossible. Kris and Doug lived extraordinary lives, leaving everything behind to find meaning and love. Through their journey, they created the biggest private land handover in history, protecting almost 15 million acres of land against insurmountable odds. Conservation at this level and scale changes the world. We are so excited to share this story.”
After it screens at SXSW on March 12, “Wild Life” begins its roadshow tour of US theaters on April 14 in New York City and Washington D.C. The doc continues to play in select cities until May 5; then the film premieres on the National Geographic Channel on May 25, and streams on Disney+ the next day.
Check out a trailer for “Wild Life” below.