__twocolumncontent.jpg)
After experiencing plenty of success with last year’s documentary feature Oscar winner, Free Solo, National Geographic is turning its attention to an often-overlooked but important part of the documentary space: shorts.
Under the guidance of Nat Geo’s Carolyn Bernstein, executive vice president, global scripted content and documentary films, the company has picked up two new shorts—Lost and Found, from Oscar-winning director Orlando von Einsiedel, featured above; and The Nightcrawlers, from another Oscar-winner, producer Joanna Natasegar and first-time director Alexander A. Mora.
“We have seen incredible momentum and critical acclaim since the launch of National Geographic Documentary Films two-and-a-half years ago. It feels like the logical next step to expand our presence in the documentary film landscape with documentary shorts” said Bernstein in an official statement.
“National Geographic has always been committed to telling globally relevant and engaging stories that deepen audiences’ understanding of the world and their role in it. By growing our film banner to include short films, we can give a voice to more timely and impactful stories that need to be told.”
Both films will make the festival circuit before premiering on National Geographic Channel this October and then heading into digital distribution. Beyond these two shows, Nat Geo also has a dozen shorts and feature-length documentaries currently in production.
Lost and Found tells the story of a Rohingya man who fled Myanmar after civil unrest tore the country apart. He found himself in Bangladesh in a refugee camp of more than 700,000 people where he has made it his mission to locate lost children. It is von Einsiedel’s next film after winning the Oscar in 2017 for The White Helmets.
The Nightcrawlers is described as an “unflinching exposé of Filipino President Duterte’s war on drugs, in which some claim over 20,000 people have been killed.” The short follows a group of photojournalists who have named themselves “the Manila Nightcrawlers.”
Key art for both Lost and Found and The Nightcrawlers is below:
READ MORE: Indiewire
Tags: ignition lost and found nat geo national geographic national geographic channel