A close-up of the Bastard King lion with a scarred face and one damaged eye, standing in a dimly lit environment. The lion's mane is slightly ruffled, and it looks focused, showcasing its rugged features and powerful presence.
Aerial view of a winding river with dense trees on its banks. A sandy area juts into the river, where the Bastard King of this realm, a solitary animal, stands regally. The landscape extends into a hazy horizon under a dim sky.
A majestic lion, the Bastard King of the savannah, stands alert in a grassy field with a blurred background of trees. Its mane is prominent, and the lighting casts a soft glow on the scene, creating a dramatic and serene atmosphere.

The Bastard King

Conservation·1 x 90 min·Completed

'The Bastard King' follows a lion's journey from cub to adulthood, symbolizing endangered species and humanity’s fate in a visually stunning, decade-long odyssey.

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Genre
Conservation
Nature & Wildlife
Duration
1 × 90 min
Definition
4K
Audio
5.1, Dolby Atmos
Status
Completed
Year
2020
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Synopsis

‘The Bastard King’ chronicles the life of a lion from cub to adulthood – battling against an unimaginable enemy that is ravaging his world. This visually stunning journey challenges traditional storytelling serving as an allegory for endangered species… and our very own fate.

Shot over ten years in a remote area of Africa, we walk with the Bastard King – a lion cub born with heterochromia – one eye yellow, the other blue – the result of a taboo union between the Blue-Eyed and Yellow-Eyed prides.

‘The Bastard King’ is a clarion call for help, that resonates with racial disharmony and environmental impact beyond any single individual’s ability to grasp and solve. With hybridized storytelling, the film sets out to unite the view point that time is running out, not just for the king of the beasts, but for all mankind.

Team

Production companies A Terra Mater Factual Studios & Bonne Pioche Télévision & Shibumi Films Coproduction
Written and directed by Owen Prümm
Narrated by David Oyelowo
Produced by Walter Köhler, Alexandre Soullier, Owen Prümm

Team

Production companies A Terra Mater Factual Studios & Bonne Pioche Télévision & Shibumi Films Coproduction
Written and directed by Owen Prümm
Narrated by David Oyelowo
Produced by Walter Köhler, Alexandre Soullier, Owen Prümm
Director of Photography Owen Prümm SASC
Narration Script Andy Briggs & Antoine Le Bos
Edited by Aurèlien Biette
Colorist Felix Trolldenier
Music composed by Laurent Garnier & Pierre Lefeuvre Saycet
Sound Design Bernhard Zorzi
Executive producers Sarita Sharma, Michael Frenschkowski, Dinah Czezik-Müller, Yves Darondeau, Emmanuel Priou

Awards & Recognitions

Pamplona, Spain #LabMeCrazy! Science Film Festival Finalist (Documentary & Reportage) 2023
Cogne, Italy Gran Paradiso Film Festival Special Mention by the Technical Jury 2023
Bristol, United Kingdom Wildscreen Panda Awards Music Award 2022
Bristol, United Kingdom Wildscreen Panda Awards Panda in the Pocket Award 2022
Montana, USA International Wildlife Film Festival Nomination 2022
Santa Barbara, USA Santa Barbara International Film Festival Nomination 2022
Graz, Austria Diagonale – Festival des österreichischen Films Nomination 2022
Santa Monica, USA Blue Water Film Festival Nomination 2022
Jackson Hole, USA Jackson Wild Media Awards Best Original Music Score 2021
Jackson Hole, USA Jackson Wild Media Awards Nomination (Writing) 2021
WCSFP – World Congress of Science & Factual Producers Buzzies Awards Nomination (Best Natural History Long Format) 2021
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