SA conservation series recognised at international film festivals
Shamwari Untamed, the 13-part, intensive behind-the-scenes look at what’s involved in managing a 250km2 private game reserve has been recognised at several international film festivals.
The locally made series won awards at the 2025 Indo Dubai and Asian Independent International Film Festivals and was officially selected for the 2025 Blue Bird Film Festival, an India-based international film festival with a public screening event.
Wildlife filmmaker, Andrew Barrat is a long-time collaborator with Shamwari and was one of the Shamwari Untamed producers. He has previously won top awards in two categories at the annual International Tourism Film Festival Africa (ITFFA) for a documentary on the largest vulture relocation in Africa and a Shamwari promotional video.
Shamwari Untamed is told largely from the perspective of wildlife vet, Johan Joubert, and ecologist, John O’Brien and touches on nearly every aspect of managing the reserve. The supporting cast includes unwell leopards, orphaned rhino calves, clever hippos, reluctant giraffes and many more.
The series explores how the Shamwari conservation team must ensure there’s sufficient vegetation for herbivores, maintain the balance between predators and prey, and make the difficult life-and-death decisions on when to interfere and when to let nature take its course.
It includes the work done at the Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, where sick, injured and orphaned animals are patiently and painstakingly nursed back to health before being released back into the wild, the vital role of the anti-poaching unit and the difficult, often dangerous work of the wildlife capture teams.
There are poignant moments, such as the extraordinary bond a leopard called Sindile forges with John, who later notices a deterioration in the animal’s health as she ages. Sindile was one of the first leopards reintroduced to the area over 20 years ago and has reared four litters of cubs. Shamwari’s newest lodge is named in her memory.
Other episodes capture the tension inherent in dealing with potentially deadly wild animals. There’s a night Johan spends in a blind with an insubstantial plywood door and a hole in the floor. While he waits to try and capture some wily hippos, lions prowl just outside his flimsy shelter.
Even the extras have their moments, such as Patrick the sheep, who becomes the companion animal for a baby rhino, orphaned when poachers killed its mother.
Like any good series, there’s plenty of action including mass game captures, with chase scenes involving helicopters and vehicles. Some go like clockwork while occasionally, the animals turn the tables on the capture teams.
Despite the hard work, long hours, unpredictability, difficulties, dangers and often having to concoct a spur-of-the-moment plan to save an animal’s life, John and Johan maintain their sense of humour.
In one episode the two of them have a narrow escape when they are about to open transport crates containing two apparently anesthetised lions. Fortunately, John – who describes his job as ‘keeping Johan alive’ – suggests doing a final check and they discover the lions are very much awake.
“Although Shamwari Untamed was filmed in 2018, it’s wonderful to see how it’s still being recognised as a conservation classic”, says Joe Cloete, Shamwari CEO.
“It is the most accurate, insightful and authentic depiction of the conservation team’s incredible work.”
The original has been so successful that a second series is currently in production.
Shamwari Untamed can be found on Netflix here: