Stern & Wild (2025)

07/07/2025

Massive congratulations to Stern & Wild filmmaker Natalie Hewit and the whole team behind the fantastic feature doc ENDURANCE, winner of the Best Documentary Programme award at the 2025 Broadcast Digital Awards which were announced last week.

The 100-minute film tells the story of polar explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton and his crew’s extraordinary feat of survival during the ill-fated Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition (1914-1917) and the search by modern-day explorers to find his sunken ship. It is a Nat Geo Doc Films, Little Dot Studios, History Hit, Consequential & Little Monster Films production for Disney+.

The film is co-directed by Natalie alongside Oscar-winning directors Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin. Natalie and Elizabeth won a 2025 Gracie Award for the film, while Natalie’s’ documentation of the expedition to find the wreck of the Endurance in 2022 secured Reach the World’s Cronkite Award for Exploration and Storytelling.

For a list of all the Award winners, click here: https://ow.ly/nK2l50WlHSH

03/07/2025

Netflix has released the official trailer for its upcoming docuseries CRITICAL: BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH which gives an access-all-areas look at trauma care in London.

Stern & Wild filmmaker Adnan Ahmed is a Shooting Director on the show which is produced by the makers of Channel 4’s award-winning medical docs 24 HOURS IN A&E and EMERGENCY.

Shot over 21 days across the capital's four biggest trauma centres, the six-part series follows the work of paramedics, doctors, nurses and surgeons as they bring patients back from the brink of catastrophe. The series reveals not only the life-saving interventions of the major trauma teams but also the personal, emotional, and sometimes traumatic reasons that inspire those on the NHS frontline to do a job where every second counts.

The series launches on Netflix on 23 July. Watch the trailer on YouTube here: https://ow.ly/6muy50WkwqE

02/07/2025

Stern & Wild founder Moray Coulter reflects on the passing of the brilliant documentary filmmaker Micky Lachmann:

I was among the many people deeply saddened to hear of the premature death of Micky Lachmann in a climbing accident in the French Alps in June.

He was an extraordinary talent as a producer and director and had an amazing ability to make the most esoteric subject matter a fun watch for a general audience. A WhatsApp group for friends and colleagues formed in reaction to his loss is testament to the hundreds of lives he touched over decades of ground-breaking and inspirational filmmaking. My own professional connection with him began in 1998 when he walked into the one-man office in Fitzrovia, home to the nascent Productionbase, which he joined that day over a cup of tea. I liked him immensely and became a supporter and promoter of his work from that day onwards.

It's been incredibly moving to read so many wonderful obituaries and tributes to Micky in the last few weeks. Matthew Bannister captures his spirit and many unique qualities beautifully in the latest edition of Radio 4’s Last Word. Listen to it here: https://ow.ly/e1Bv50WjX65

02/07/2025

The harrowing three-part documentary series 7/7: HOMEGROWN TERROR directed by Stern & Wild’s Tim Lawton received four stars in a glowing review from Guardian TV critic Jack Seale this week. Described as “stunningly powerful”, the series is the latest project from the BAFTA-nominated documentary filmmaker following the critically acclaimed IN THE FACE OF TERROR (Expectation for Channel 4) and ONE SHOT: THE FOOTBALL FACTORY (Expectation for Sky Documentaries).

Produced to mark the 20th anniversary of the 2005 London su***de bombings, 7/7: HOMEGROWN TERROR draws on a range of perspectives to unpack the story of the 7 July attacks, the manhunt for the bombers, the failed 21 July attacks and the subsequent shooting of the innocent Jean Charles de Menezes. It provides testimonies from key witnesses, survivors and their families, and investigators. It also hears from individuals connected to the bombers – including the father of one of the attackers, the close friend of another, and a fellow Brit who attended a training camp with the perpetrators.

“In trying to help us make sense of something that is so hard to fully comprehend or process,” says the Guardian, “HOMEGROWN TERROR does just about all it can.” Read the full review here: https://ow.ly/bTfS50WjSRW

The series is a Blast Films production for Sky. Exec Producers are Danny Horan and Sandy Smith and for Sky Tom Barry and Ziyaad Desai; Senior Producers are Adnan Sarwar and Karim Shah; and Producers are Sara Ahmad and Natacha Brounais. Tim is the Series Director.

01/07/2025

Stern & Wild filmmakers are marking the 20th anniversary of the 7/7 London terror attacks with two new critically acclaimed documentary series about the horrific bombings and their aftermath.

Tim Lawton is Director of the fantastic three-part Sky Original series 7/7: HOMEGROWN TERROR which launched on Sky Documentaries and NOW on Sunday. The series was described as “stunningly powerful” in a review in the Guardian this week. Duncan Coates is Showrunner and Co-Executive Producer of the four-part Netflix series ATTACK ON LONDON: HUNTING THE 7/7 BOMBERS. Described in a separate Guardian review as “heart-racing”, the series launched on Netflix on Monday.

Tim’s series 7/7: HOMEGROWN TERROR draws on a range of perspectives to unpack the story of the 7 July attacks, the manhunt for the bombers, the failed 21 July attacks and the subsequent shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes. It provides testimonies from key witnesses, survivors and their families, investigators, and voices connected to the bombers – including the father of one of the attackers, the close friend of another, and a fellow Brit who attended a training camp with the perpetrators. It is a Blast Films production for Sky and was widely praised when it premiered at Sheffield DocFest last month.

All three episodes are available to stream on Sky Documentaries and NOW: https://ow.ly/LBYX50WjjXP

Duncan’s series ATTACK ON LONDON: HUNTING THE 7/7 BOMBERS examines how the country struggled to make sense of the shocking events as the authorities raced against the clock to stop further attacks. It features exclusive interviews, unseen archive and powerful first-person accounts – including survivors, victim’s families, people who knew the bombers, police investigators, the lead explosives expert, the Prime Minister, the head of MI5, the family of Jean Charles de Menezes, key fi****ms officers, citizen heroes, and journalists and campaigners trying to uncover the truth behind those frenzied weeks. It provides an immersive minute-by-minute account of events, tracing the shockwaves of the attacks and the hunt to find those responsible. It is produced by The Garden for Netflix.

All four episodes are available to stream now on Netflix: https://ow.ly/WHGX50WjjXQ

26/06/2025

Shout out to Emmy award-winning Stern & Wild filmmaker Melanie Fall (pictured) producer of a major upcoming film from celebrated documentary maker Molly Dineen.

Announced by the BBC at Sheffield Doc Fest last week, the feature documentary MOLLY DINEEN: OUR PEOPLE will draw on Dineen’s extensive archive of previously unseen footage to present a personal portrait of Britain from the 1980s to the present. The 90-minute film aims to reveal the profound changes in the psychology of the country over the last 40 years and will feature an extraordinary range of people, from Black Rod to Blacker Dread and road diggers to Tony Blair, in a series of behind-the-scenes encounters shot over the period.

Directed by Molly Dineen, the film is edited by Ollie Huddleston. Alongside Melanie as Producer, Lisa Ubsdell is the Associate Producer and Kevin Loader is Exec Producer. It was commissioned by Clare Sillery, the BBC’s Head of Commissioning, Documentaries and is being made by Dineen’s RTO Pictures. The BBC Commissioning Editor is Emma Loach.

It will air on BBC Two and iPlayer in 2026, preceded by a release in selected UK cinemas.

Read more here: https://ow.ly/wXi350WgUOv

26/06/2025

Check out the trailer for ‘Back to the Frontier’, a brand-new adventure reality show produced by Wall to Wall for Chip and Joanna Gaines’s Magnolia Network and HBO Max.

Shout out to Stern & Wild’s super-talented John Joe Bardsley (‘The Island’, ‘Hunted’, ‘Tempting Fortune’), Series Producer on this amazing looking production.

Shot on location in the Rocky Mountains, the eight-part series follows three American families who leave the 21st century behind and attempt to survive as 1880s homesteaders. While tackling historical challenges and attempting to gather enough food and other resources to weather a winter on the frontier, the series highlights the families’ highs and lows as they forge lasting memories and engage with each other without the distractions of modern life.

‘Back to the Frontier’ premieres on Magnolia and HBO Max in the US on 10 July.

16/06/2025

Congratulations to new Stern & Wild client Iain “Thompy” Thompson whose fascinating series DNA JOURNEY returned to ITV last week with an episode featuring COLD FEET co-stars Fay Ripley and Hermione Norris.

Each episode of the popular series follows a pair of celebrity friends or relatives as they explore their family histories through a combination of DNA testing and historical research, sometimes uncovering extraordinary secrets along the way. The latest instalment reveals Fay has a connection to royalty and some fellow performers in her family tree, while Hermione discovers her family descends from County Durham miners, a complete reverse from the characters they played in the hit 90s comedy drama.

DNA JOURNEY first aired in 2019, with a one-off special featuring Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly. The current run includes the final three episodes of Series 5; the next two instalments will feature comedians Jo Brand and Julian Clary and I’M A CELEBRITY… GET ME OUT OF HERE! friends Sam Thompson and Marvin Humes.

The series is produced for ITV by Voltage TV, Ant & Dec’s production company Mitre Studios and genealogy platform Ancestry. It was commissioned by Katie Rawcliffe, Head of Entertainment Commissioning, ITV and Louise Major, Commissioning Editor, ITV. Thompy was one of the show’s creators and has been a Director on all five seasons. He is also one of the shows Exec Producers alongside Kathleen Larkin and Sanjay Singhal.

It airs on ITV1 on Thursdays at 9.00pm and is available to stream on ITVX: https://ow.ly/cS0s50WafP9

13/06/2025

Shout out to Director Wes Pollitt whose docuseries about the Isle of Man TT is part of an exciting deal between Amazon MGM, Box to Box, Brad Pitt and Channing Tatum.

The newly announced deal follows Amazon MGM Studios’ successful bid to acquire a feature film and docuseries package spearheaded by the Hollywood A-listers that aims to bring the legendary Isle of Man TT races to a global audience.

The four-part docuseries was filmed during the 2024 TT races and captures the intensity of one of the world’s most dangerous sports with riders reaching speeds of nearly 200 mph. With never-before-seen access to the riders and races it introduces some of the TT's best riders and explores what drives them to embrace the risks of such a perilous event. It is produced by sports specialist Box to Box Films, Brad Pitt’s Plan B, Channing Tatum’s Free Association, Mediawan, Entertainment 360 and Entourage Ventures. Wes is Series Director.

The companion film will dramatise the spirit of the TT for the big screen. It will star Channing Tatum and be directed by Reid Carolin who co-wrote the script with Jason Keller and Bryan Johnson. It is produced by Free Association, Plan B, Entertainment 360 and Mediawan.

Read more about the deal in Deadline’s exclusive here: https://ow.ly/o0hk50W8Qaa

11/06/2025

Three productions from Stern & Wild filmmakers were among the winners at Monday night’s Banff Rockie Awards International Programme Competition.

The brilliant conservation feature doc SILVERBACK directed, filmed and edited by Miles Blayden-Ryall won the award for best Environmental & Wildlife programme. A 2025 Grierson winner, the film follows wildlife cameraman Vianet Djenguet as he joins the effort to protect the critically endangered eastern lowland gorillas of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is produced by Off the Fence and France Télévisions for the BBC in association with Featuristic Films.

Recent Canadian Screen Award-winning feature doc PLASTIC PEOPLE: THE HIDDEN CRISIS OF MICROPLASTICS directed by Ben Addelman was the winner in the Science & Technology category. Co-directed by author and science journalist Ziya Tong, this amazing film investigates our addiction to plastic and the growing threat of microplastics on human health. It is produced by White Pine Pictures.

The third production to win a Rockie is the deeply moving three-part drama LOST BOYS AND FAIRIES directed by James Kent. Winner in the Limited Series category, it is the first drama on the BBC to address the subject of gay adoption and explores critical topics within the q***r community such as gay shame and q***r identity. It is a Duck Soup Films production for BBC One.

Congratulations to each of the teams behind these wonderful productions.

10/06/2025

The fantastic new feature documentary 'Flight 149: Hostage of War' directed by Stern & Wild filmmaker Jenny Ash is set to air on Sky https://ow.ly/ic9a50W7gzc and streaming service NOW tomorrow 11 June.

The film tells the extraordinary story of the nearly 400 passengers and crew of BA Flight 149, who unknowingly landed in Kuwait just hours after the Iraqi invasion began in 1990 - and were taken hostage by Saddam Hussein to be used as human shields. Why, the film asks, was the plane allowed to land?

Premiering to critical acclaim at SXSW 2025, 'Flight 149: Hostage of War' has already been widely praised in the press in the run up to its Sky launch. It was hailed as ‘a gripping and beautifully made new documentary’ in The Telegraph https://ow.ly/oOpN50W7gze and was the Sunday Times Critics’ Choice this weekend: ‘It unfolds with the pace and intrigue of a prestige thriller.’ Jenny recently talked about the plight of the hostages in a recent interview in Deadline https://ow.ly/gIs550W7gzb and brought the story to a wider audience last week in an interview with Dom Joly for Times Radio https://ow.ly/vbB250W7gzf (the interview starts at 02.19.49). Catch her being interviewed tomorrow morning on Radio 4’s Today.

A Drum Studios production for Sky, the film was originated, written and directed by Jenny Ash. Producers are Andy Holland, Helen McClure, Mowaffaq Safadi and Lucy Towers. Executive Producers are Sam Bagnall, Laura Botten, Mark Henderson, Karen Kelly, Poppy Dixon, Vesna Cudic and Tom Barry.

At a special screening last night, several of the hostages who appear in the film joined Jenny for a powerful discussion about the government cover-up, their ongoing fight for the truth, and the lasting trauma of their ordeal. We salute their bravery.

09/06/2025

Netflix has launched the trailer for the third and final season of the cycling Grand Tour docuseries ‘Tour de France: Unchained’ which is set to premiere on the streamer on 2 July, three days before the 2025 Grand Départ in Lille.

The eight-part series is produced by QuadBox, a joint venture between UK indie Box to Box Films and French production company Quad Productions. Stern & Wild filmmaker Jamie Batten was Series Director on all three series.

The latest season gives a detailed insight into the behind-the-scenes action of the 2024 race which features the battle for a third championship win by Slovenian cyclist Tadej Pogačar and his UAE Team Emirates-XRG crew. Along with the crashes and clashes of the race and its competing teams, a key storyline is the record-breaking 35th stage win by Isle of Man cycling great Sir Mark Cavendish who retired from cycling after the Tour. This looks like a brilliant watch!

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07/07/2025

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