FILMMAKERS, GRAB YOUR CAMERAS! ONLY TWO WEEKS LEFT TO ENTER NAT GEO WILD AND SUN VALLEY FILM FESTIVAL'S "WILD TO INSPIRE" SHORT FILM COMPETITION

Winning Filmmaker Will Be Granted an African Expedition to Document Their Wildlife Interactions for Nat Geo WILD Viewers

This Year's Theme Is 'Let the WILD In'

(Washington, D.C. - Jan. 19, 2016) The clock is ticking. There are only two weeks left to enter Nat Geo WILD and Sun Valley Film Festival's third annual WILD TO INSPIRE filmmaking contest. One lucky winner will get to try their hand at filmmaking National Geographic style as they depart on an expedition to Africa to document wildlife for Nat Geo WILD viewers. The winner will share their experiences through video diaries, photos, social media and more, giving Nat Geo WILD viewers a taste of what it's like to be a Nat Geo WILD filmmaker.

The WILD TO INSPIRE film competition will accept submissions on Vimeo until Feb. 1, 2016.

Inspired by last year's winning film, "Adapt" by Filipe DeAndrade, which tells the story of a filmmaker who discovers his salvation in nature, submissions should capture stories of individuals letting the wild into their own lives. The goal is to captivate viewers and encourage them to seek out the wild in their own backyards. Films should be no more than five minutes long and will be judged on the following criteria:

· Connection to the theme of "Let the WILD In"

· Quality of the storyline and script

· Creativity and/or content originality

· Production quality

· Editing

The top three finalists will be announced by Feb. 15, 2016, and invited to the Sun Valley Film Festival in March 2016 to screen their films for festival attendees, a panel of judges and Nat Geo WILD executives. The winner will be announced at the festival's closing ceremony, and will receive an expedition to experience and document wildlife in some of the most exotic corners of the world for Nat Geo WILD viewers.

Last year's winner, Filipe DeAndrade, has spent the past couple months in Africa, working on several upcoming shows for Nat Geo WILD, while documenting his experience through regular blog posts, vlogs and social media.

For more information and complete rules, visit www.natgeowild.com/wildtoinspire. Only U.S. residents are eligible to enter this contest.

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About National Geographic Channels

The National Geographic Channels (The Channels) form the television and production arm of National Geographic Partners, a joint venture between 21st Century Fox and the National Geographic Society. As a global leader in premium science, adventure and exploration programming, the Channels include: National Geographic Channel (NGC), Nat Geo WILD, Nat Geo People and Nat Geo MUNDO. Additionally, the Channels also run the in-house television production unit, National Geographic Studios. The Channels contribute to the National Geographic Society's commitment to exploration, conservation and education with entertaining, innovative programming from A-level talent around the world, and with profits that help support the society's mission. Globally, NGC is available in more than 440 million homes in 171 countries and 45 languages, and Nat Geo WILD is available in 131 countries and 38 languages. National Geographic Partners is also a leader in social media, with a fan base of 250 million people across all of its social pages. NGC contributes over 55 million social media fans globally on Facebook alone. For more information, visit www.natgeotv.com and www.natgeowild.com.

About the 2016 Sun Valley Film Festival

The Fifth Annual Sun Valley Film Festival (SVFF), presented by Zions Bank, will run March 2-6, 2016, and will feature a curated slate of more than 60 cutting-edge films and TV premieres, engaging Coffee Talks with top industry insiders including legendary filmmaker Oliver Stone (recipient of the 2016 SVFF Lifetime Vision Award), fabulous parties and panels, a Screenwriters Lab led by award-winning writers Mark Duplass and Nat Faxon, and the spectacular SVFF Awards Bash. The combination of cutting-edge programming and bona fide insider access in a fun, relaxed atmosphere is making the Sun Valley Film Festival a rising star in the world of destination festivals. This coming spring, filmmakers from around the world will bring their vision to the Sun Valley Film Festival, and movie lovers are invited to watch it come into focus. For Sun Valley Film Festival details and tickets, visit: www.sunvalleyfilmfestival.org. Get festival updates on Facebook and Twitter.