Call to Action Film, Wilding: Embraces Nature Transformation in the Nation, Captivatingly Showcases Piglets in Picturesque Scenes

In cinemas now, the documentary film "Wilding" offers a poignant and galvanizing call to action for the preservation of our precious natural world. Based on Isabella Tree's best-selling book of the same name, published in 2018, the film is a testament to the transformative power of rewilding.

The connection between Isabella Tree's Wilding film and the Oostvaardersplassen Nature Reserve in the Netherlands is rooted in the concept of rewilding. This experimental rewilding site, developed by Dutch biologist Frans Vera, served as a significant inspiration for the themes and approach of the Wilding project. The film highlights the duo's enthusiasm for the reintroduced animals, such as pigs, cows, beavers, storks, and bugs, showcasing their intelligence and importance.

The film is set on Knepp Castle, a West Sussex farmland estate, where Isabella Tree, along with her husband Charlie Burrell, introduced free-roaming grazing animals like Exmoor ponies and wild cattle. The film depicts the early days of the rewilding project, using current shots of Knepp, along with a bit of CGI, to tell the story.

The film's narrative, gentle yet forthright, places the animals at the centre stage. It highlights the interconnectedness of life, demonstrating how each introduced or supported species makes a significant difference to the land and surrounding area. For instance, the film suggests the answer to flooding as the introduction of beavers, the answer to creeping thistle as the arrival of a swarm of butterflies, and the pigs demonstrating the repair of the soil.

Despite being a documentary, Wilding incorporates a few fictional shots and actors, Matthew Collyer and Rhiannon Neads, who play fictionalised versions of Isabella Tree and Charlie Burrell. The film's natural soundscape, courtesy of Jon Hopkins, Biggi Hilmars, and the cinematography from Tim Cragg and Simon de Glanville, is joyous and bewitching.

However, the film does not shy away from the challenges faced in the rewilding process. It depicts the day Isabella Tree and Charlie Burrell sold all their farming equipment, the day local farmers objected to their plans, and the biodiversity crisis in the country, which is at an all-time high. The film serves as a reminder that many native mammals in this country are at risk of extinction, and we have lost 97% of wildflower meadows since the 1930s.

Despite these stark realities, Wilding is filled with joy, wonder, and hope. It's a powerful reminder of the potential for restoration and the importance of acting now to preserve our precious natural world. So, if you're looking for a film that will inspire you to take action, Wilding is a must-watch.