Wildlife film maker, Michael McKinnon, has won well earned success
with a series of films on Arabian wildlife made for international
audiences. The three-part television documentary: “Arabia: Sand,
Sea & Sky” has collected an impressive list of major credits on
the international film festival circuit including Wildscreen ’90
International Wildlife Film Festival in the UK where ‘Eye of the
Camel’ won a special award; the Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival
in USA where the series won the award as ‘Best Limited Series’;
the 5th International Festival of Documentary Films in Italy where
it was awarded the Potstone Vase for its “exceptionally high level
of cinematography”; the I.Ci.Mar Festival in Italy where ‘Red
Sea Rift’ won the Gold Medallion; and the National Education Film
& Video Festival in the USA where Red Sea Rift was awarded the
Silver Apple Award in the “Evolution and Biodiversity” category.
McKinnon Films other major production dealing with Arabian wildlife
was made during and after the Gulf War and features the environmental
impact of the war. The 52 minute documentary has already won an
Emmy Award in New York as winner in the category: ‘Outstanding
Background Analysis of a Single Current Story’; ‘Best of the Festival’,
Best of the special category ‘Alternative Coverage of a Current
Event’ and a Merit Award for Visual Impact at the 15th International
Wildlife Film festival at Missoula in USA; First Prize at the
I.CI. Mar Film festival of the Sea in Sardinia; Grand Prix , ‘Best
of the Festival’ at the Festival International Du Film Ornithologique,
in France; and a Certificate of Merit Finalist at Worldfest in
Houston. Wide media coverage of both the Tides of War film and
the Arabia Sand Sea and Sky series has brought Arabian wildlife
and the region’s unique environment to the attention of people
all over the world with the films being screened in Japan, USA,
Australasia, Korea, all of the European countries and, in Michael
McKinnon’s own words, “just about everywhere”. Arabic language
versions of the films have been made and viewers in Kuwait have
had an opportunity to see the films on Kuwait Television. It is
hoped that arrangements will be made for the films to be seen
in all of the other Arabian countries since they certainly do
an excellent job of presenting Arabian wildlife and their conservation
message is of universal importance.
Michael McKinnon is presently engaged on making a film about the
River Nile. This new project explores how different cultures have
responded to nature, down through the years, from the earliest
people living along the great river’s banks right up to modern
times.
If his films on Arabian wildlife are anything to go by, the new
project promises to be an exciting and fascinating film, further
underlining the importance of understanding and respecting nature
throughout our fragile planet.