“Hollows and Their Inhabitants,” a film produced by the State Forests in Poland, has won the silver award in the wildlife and nature conservation documentary category at the International Tourism Film Festival Africa (ITFF Africa) in South Africa. This documentary explores the forest habitat, home to many species that utilize tree hollows, with woodpeckers, particularly the black woodpecker, playing a key role as “forest developers.”
Expert Insights and Forest Conservation
Dr. Andrzej Kruszewicz, an ornithologist and director of the Warsaw Zoo, narrates the importance of these tree hollows and the need for old, hollow-bearing trees in forests. The film, directed by Sławomir Skupiński and Michał Ogrodowczyk from the Forest Film Studio ORWLP in Bedoń, features a screenplay and commentary by Mateusz Grzębkowski from the General Directorate of State Forests.
The ITFF Africa has previously recognized films produced by the Forest Film Studio. Notable winners include “Forest Giants” directed by Mateusz Matysiak, Tomasz, and Michał Ogrodowczyk, and “Forest Pollinators” directed by Elżbieta Trzonek and Bartosz Klamra.