LONDON
NATURE
FILMS
What is nature in a city and how do we experience it?
Screening a variety of audio-visual material through collaborations with small venues, highlighted by a festival in June. Events connect filmmakers, both amateur and professional, with others active in the urban nature space in all its forms, including artists, gardeners, wildlife workers, wellbeing practitioners, writers, academics and anyone interested in the subject.
Summer festival part of The Grow Urban Festival supported by London National Park City
Proud to be a partner of the BFI Film Audience Network, funded by the National Lottery
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Even with 8 million trees, 15000 species and 48% of London unbuilt on, it can be hard to maintain awareness of the rich wildlife and land based projects all around us in a city. We screen films about these nature and greening stories in London and other cities in the UK. From rare film screenings and thought-provoking talks to hands-on experiences, we delve into nature conservation, urban gardening and outdoor wellbeing, all through the eyes of filmmakers, animators and everyday heroes of the city’s green spaces.
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​​​​​​​​Parks, vitally, help us connect to self, connect to others and connect to nature. Gardens bring people together, build community and foster the enormous diversity of a multi-cultural city. The films we screen tell these fascinating stories, helping to spread inclusivity and awareness for both long time nature lovers and those just discovering it.
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The festival hosts predominantly films and animation with some stories, poems and visual art. Nature conservation workers, community growers, other practitioners and media creators host Q and A sessions after the showings. We love films from those practically involved in projects, documented over time. LNFs is also a catalyst for forging new connections between filmmakers/creatives and nature-related initiatives in the city.
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Autumn 2025
LUMINOX: Film, Food & Spoken Word at Greatorex Tuesday 9th December 7pm
Pro Radix & London Nature Films present
LUMINOX curated quarterly film screenings - exploring resilience & reciprocity with the more than human. Engagement, dialogue, inspiration, restoration, spoken word and shared food with filmmakers, artists and changemakers. An ongoing seasonal series starting 9th December at 10 Greatorex Street, E1 5NF. Themes range from exploring what “nature” means to those living in cities to wider social and global ecological challenges and the many connections between the two.
Delving into the entangled life of all things we welcome film and spoken word submissions from artists/filmmakers/activists.
And please just come along…https://buytickets.at/londonnaturefilms/1959830
Our Blue World. www.braveblue.world Wednesday 5th November Time: 19.00-21.00
Narrated by Liam Neeson, this 90 minute doc explores humanity’s profound relationship with Water and reveals how human agency can help rebalance the planet’s water systems. Created by Netflix.
Li An Phoa, Drinkable Rivers, who features in the film, will be present to introduce it and answer questions afterwards. Her organisation, based in Holland, takes a holistic approach to the ecology of rivers globally. Two years ago she and her partner Maarten van der Schaaf walked the length of the River Thames.
Venue: Calthorpe Community Garden, 258-274 Grays Inn Rd, London WC1X 8LH .
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Film and Art evening Friday 26th September Time: 18.30-22.00
This a collaboration between LNF and Pro Radix, the UK's first arts space devoted to adaptation in the polycrisis. Using art and the work of artists to connect the dots between poverty, inequality, climate and biodiversity for a new world of care and freedom. The evening will be a mixture of films ranging from video art to shorts about nature in London.
Venue: 10 Greatorex Street, Whitechapel, London, E1 5NF
Spring 2026
We are planning a film event with London Parks and Gardens Trust of films about the relationships between people and their favourite London parks. Please get in touch if you know of any relevant films or art works that could be shown. We are also developing a project with Four Corners Film for local young people, focused on the theme of ‘Green Futures in East London’.
Call for Submissions
We’re always open for submissions for London Nature Films Festival 2025 and beyond.
WHAT:
We’re looking for short films and documentaries about our relationship with nature in cities or about the natural world itself, in an urban context. Stories about urban wildlife and rewilding projects, community gardens, how nature supports wellbeing in city life or personal stories of change. We want to explore the different ways people connect with and help nature in urban spaces like London. Animations and photography are also welcome - even a spoken story.
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SECTIONS:
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Connecting to Urban Nature – Films about experiencing and engaging with nature (video portraits, documentaries, experimental).
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Wilding the City – Stories about fostering and conserving biodiversity (documentaries).
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Growing Urban Food – Films on public and community gardens (documentaries).
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Youth & Urban Nature – A film competition for young people (drama and documentary).
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International Urban Nature – Films from cities around the world.
WHERE:
Films from London and other urban areas in the UK.
WHO:
You don’t have to be a professional or even budding filmmaker! We are interested in films from all ages and media abilities. We love unusual, passionate stories of people connecting to nature in our urban, natural world. If you have an interesting project you are involved in and can communicate by camera, we would love to hear from you. Early filmmakers, citizen journalists and amateur documentarians welcome.
HOW:
Contact us at info@londonnaturefilms.org
Deadline: 1st May 2025.
If you are in production please send your synopsis and completion date. If the film is finished please send a Youtube/Vimeo link.
WHY:
Nature literally takes root everywhere there is water and sunlight. Instead of viewing nature as something in remote places, find nature in the everyday all around you and share the experience!
Meet the Team
ADITI SING Co Producer
​Aditi is a researcher, analyst, and aspiring storyteller deeply attuned to the natural world and human experiences. She holds an M.A. in Social Anthropology from SOAS, University of London, where her thesis explored the agency of plants in indigenous psychedelic healing practices, and an M.A. in International Development Practice from Monash University, emphasizing gender, conflict, and sustainability. This educational background has deepened her connection to non-human worlds and complex social dynamics. Aditi's interests lie at the intersection of art, culture, and advocacy, focusing on feminist perspectives, diasporic experiences, and environmental concerns.
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Her communications roles have spanned international development across India and Australia, including impactful work with WWF on sustainability projects and supporting her mother's conservation activism. Her professional experience extends to creative outputs, including research and analysis, photography, writing, and ethnography.
Her work seeks to help people rediscover what it means to be wild—to embrace awe, humility, and the rich wisdom of both natural and human worlds.
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CLIVE ARDAGH Founder
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Clive is a filmmaker and nature communicator. He has a production company making promotional films and documentaries for a variety of organisations – ranging from nature conservation, agriculture and sustainability to cycling, locally produced food & drink and museums. He has always been fascinated by how people are connected to their environment and to nature. This was deepened from 1997-2017 when he lived in rural northern Norway and worked with schools, artists and culture projects.
His academic research includes two masters degrees; an MSc Holistic Science & more recently an MA Media in Development with a thesis on media and marketing discourses and narratives around re-naturing in the UK. This, combined with many years of experience as a filmmaker, has given him a nuanced, in depth approach to documenting nature and our complex relationship with it. The findings from his MA showed that the prevailing "language" or narrative is of British countrylife and that nature is therefor less accesable, being almost unbranded. This inspired him to make more films in parks where he lives in London and to establish screening opportunities for those being made, especially on the ground, by people close to nature projects.
​Clive thus co-founded London Nature Films, with 8 films, in 2024 and is currently developing it further.
GIUSEPPE INTRIERI Media Content coordinator
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My journey in photography began as a self-taught pursuit, enriched by occasional workshops and, later, formal training: I participated in an intensive professional training course in environmental and naturalistic photojournalism. This course, organized by BLUOCEAN SRL in collaboration with the Calabria Region and sponsored by National Geographic Italia, profoundly transformed my approach to photography.
As part of the program, I prepared a final reportage that served as the foundation for my qualification as an Environmental and Naturalistic Photojournalist. This milestone not only refined my skills but also opened the door to collaborations with renowned publications such as National Geographic Magazine Italia, That’s Italia, Casa in Fiore, InNatura, and others, starting in December 2016.
Today, I run a company based in London, offering comprehensive photography and video services across the UK. Photography and nature are not just professions for me; they are lifelong passions that have shaped who I am. My mission is to inspire others to see the beauty of the world through the lens, fostering a deeper connection to the natural and human landscapes that surround us.
London Nature Films CIC
128 Lower Clapton Road, London, E5 0QR
Tel: 0779 4671832
​Please join our mailing list:
instagram: @londonnaturefilm
www.youtube.com/@LondonNatureFilms
Project Description
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Overview
Founded in 2024, London Nature Films (LNF) serves as a dissemination platform for nature communication, using film to spark dialogue, creativity and action around the city’s natural environments. In an era of digital and remote communication, LNF provides organisations and communities with a vital in-person context for screening, discussion, and exchange.
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We run London’s only film festival dedicated to urban nature, showcasing how everyday encounters with the living world, from vegetable gardens to parakeets, shapes the experience of being a Londoner. A city perpetually consumes resources; nature, and we explore not just plants and animals but the city as a living organism.
Our annual two-day film festival brings together filmmakers, artists, conservationists, youth and community organisations for screenings, Q&As, and discussions. With film entries tripling in our second year, we are witnessing a groundswell of interest from rewilders, growers, listeners, and nature lovers of all backgrounds. As the availability of affordable 4K cameras increases, our aim is to encourage new voices in urban nature filmmaking, while keeping the experience of the shared big screen at the heart of our work.
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Impact & Partnerships
Through collaborations with organisations such as Grow Urban Festival, London National Park City, Four Corners Film and Pro Radix, we are building a movement that connects filmmakers, conservationists, artists, and communities. Together, we are creating inclusive pop-up events that strengthen London’s environmental future.
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Our Concept
LNF explores a new narrative for nature. We encourage those directly involved in conservation, gardening, and community projects to become filmmakers, ensuring that stories are told from the inside as well as through professional production. Our inclusive approach embraces a wide breadth of film styles and genres, and prioritises diversity in participation — across race, age, background, and experience.
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Our Work
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Annual summer Pop-Up Festival: A two-day celebration of urban nature on the big screen, with cross-genre films, Q&As, debates, and networking opportunities. Submissions tripled in our second year.
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Cross-Sector Engagement: From offering screening opportunities for artists beyond the gallery, to creating CSR opportunities for video production companies, we bring together multiple sectors around a shared concern for urban nature.
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Supporting Youth & Emerging Voices: We provide young people with professional screening opportunities, developing confidence and pathways into the film and environmental sectors.
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Broadening Access: By working with disadvantaged groups, we are helping to diversify who participates in and benefits from the “nature space.”
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Urgent Causes: We help amplify campaigns to preserve London’s green spaces from development and highlight climate and biodiversity challenges.
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Vision
Our long-term goal is to embed urban nature in London’s cultural imagination. By making film a bridge between ecology, community, and creativity, LNF inspires people to see the city as a living habitat, while promoting long-term stewardship of its green spaces.
Connect with Us
London Nature Films CIC
128 Lower Clapton Road, London, E5 0QR
Tel: 0779 4671832
​Please join our mailing list:
instagram: @londonnaturefilms
www.youtube.com/@LondonNatureFilms
SUMMER FESTIVAL WEEKEND
14th & 15th June 2025
22 new films, talks and delicious vegan food, foraged tea and coffee, included in ticket price.
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We are back at 8 Vyner Street, London, E2 9DG this summer with another pop-up festival celebrating live-action films and their makers and causes from London’s green spaces. Docs and shorts about nature and greening activities across London; from personal stories and nature conservation to urban gardening, outdoor wellbeing, and campaigning for nature-based solutions.
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Connecting to Urban Nature – Films about experiencing and engaging with nature (video portraits, documentaries, experimental).
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Wilding the City – Stories about fostering and conserving biodiversity (documentaries).
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Growing Urban Food – Films on public and community gardens (documentaries).
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Campaigns- Films and reels from groups committed to saving urban green spaces.
Tickets are £15/day (Under 18/students £10) ​​Ticket holders will be able to view most films online after the event. The venue is fully wheelchair accessible. No disabled toilets.
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Part of The Grow Urban Festival, supported by London National Park City.
With gratetfull thanks to Makerscabinet.com for free venue hire.
