National Geographic explorers are establishing the Nature Environment and Wildlife Conservation Trust to support Black African wildlife documentary filmmakers [1].
The initiative seeks to dismantle systemic barriers in a field where African stories have historically been told by outsiders. By providing resources and access, the trust aims to diversify the perspective of nature cinematography and conservation storytelling.
Pragna Parsotam-Kok and Noel Kok founded the not-for-profit organization, known as NEWF, to address a critical scarcity of Black filmmakers in the genre [1]. The organizers said that the industry lacks representation and creates significant hurdles for local creators seeking to document their own environment.
Parsotam-Kok said they were struck by how challenging it was to access animals to film and how few other African wildlife documentary makers there were [1]. This lack of access often prevents local filmmakers from gaining the experience necessary to compete on a global scale.
To combat these challenges, the trust is hosting a conference for African wildlife filmmakers [1]. The event is designed to foster collaboration and provide a platform for those who have been excluded from mainstream production pipelines.
Although the trust is currently expanding its reach and hosting events, the foundation for the initiative dates back to its establishment in 2015 [1]. The move comes as global media outlets face increasing pressure to ensure that indigenous and local populations lead the narratives regarding their own lands.
Kok said their response was to set up the not-for-profit Nature Environment and Wildlife Conservation Trust and to host a conference for African wildlife fil [1]. The project represents a shift toward a more inclusive model of wildlife documentation in South Africa.
“They were struck by how challenging it was to access animals to film”
The establishment of NEWF highlights a structural gap in the global media landscape where the subjects of wildlife documentaries—African ecosystems—are rarely documented by the people living within them. By focusing on access to animals and professional networking, the trust is attempting to shift the power dynamic of conservation storytelling from a Western-centric lens to a localized, indigenous perspective.
