NEWS
Iyo Ang Dagat (The Sea is Yours) wins $15,000 Impact Grant funding at the Jackson Wild Earth Alliance Impact Pitch
October 2025, LAMAVE’s documentary film and impact campaign “Iyo Ang Dagat” (The Sea is Yours) came in second during the Jackson Wild Earth Alliance Impact Pitch, winning $15,000 in impact funding at this years Jackson Wild Summit. The funding will be used to expand our impact campaign in Palawan, Philippines.
Iyo ang Dagat, explores the deep and complex relationship between people and sharks in the Philippines, and the impact campaign focuses on audience-specific calls to action for the protection of sharks and rays, including tourism regulation and bycatch mitigation. The impact funding will enable the expansion of community screenings to help raise awareness about the value of sharks and rays and the ongoing efforts to protect them in Palawan. This will build upon the film and initial stage of the impact campaign which was funded by the Save Our Seas Foundation.
Iyo Ang Dagat Director and Impact Producer Sally Snow shared “We are delighted with this support from Jackson Wild and Earth Alliance as it will enable us to to expand the screenings and campaign activities within Palawan. This film was made possible with the support and dedication of our partners and stakeholders and we can’t wait to work together to create more impact on the ground for the protection of sharks and rays.”
First place was awarded to Jigar Ganatra’s film “Chameleon Corridors” which won the top prize of $30,000. The film's impact campaign, led by Simona Nickmanova will work with local partners in Tanzania to screen the film for farmers, students and Tanzanian authorities to dismantle ingrained superstitions around chameleons and educate communities about reforestation programs.
Third place was awarded to Qotzuñi: People of the Lake, which tells the story of the Uru Indigenous Nation as it faces challenges caused by industrial mining which has contaminated Lake Poopó’s. Their impact campaign aims to improve food security for communities, support sustainable livelihoods, and create fellowships for Uru youth in communities surrounding Lake Poopó.
The other pitch finalists were The Book of George and Pantanal.
The pitch session, which was a LIVE event at the Jackson Wild Summit saw five finalists pitch to an esteemed judging panel including Award winning Director (and winner of this years Grand Teaton Award for the film Yanuni) Richard Ladkani, Vanessa Serrao, Vice President, Impact Story Lab at National Geographic Society, Devin Murphy, Associate Director of Media Relations at RE:WILD and Alex Duckles, Senior Producer, Digital Media and Impact at Tangled Bank Studios.
[Extract from Earth Alliance Press Release]: The collaboration between Jackson Wild and Earth Alliance addresses growing concerns within the entertainment industry about climate messaging that often leaves audiences feeling hopeless rather than motivated. The session specifically aims to fund projects that shift the narrative toward solutions and actionable outcomes, responding to audience research showing that solutions-focused content drives higher engagement and behavioral change. Marianna Olinger, Earth Alliance senior impact strategist said, “All of the impact pitch finalists had an impressive vision for how to leverage their films for impact in conservation working in close collaboration with local communities….These are moving and also empowering stories, bringing to life some of the most pressing issues on our planet. We are thrilled to partner with Jackson Wild to support these teams to use the power of their films strategically to affect our world, and the communities portrayed in the films, positively.”
Behind the Scenes from filming Iyo Ang Dagat and the initial impact campaign
