William W. Warner Voice of Nature Award
For Reflecting a Spirit of Reverence for the Natural WorldEstablished in memory of William Warner by the Warner/Kaempfer family for the 2015 Festival, the William W. Warner Voice of Nature Award recognizes a film that reflects a spirit of reverence for the natural world. William Warner was the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Beautiful Swimmers, a study of crabs and watermen in the Chesapeake Bay. The award includes a $5,000 cash prize.
2025 Winner
Lowland Kids
Based on a short with the same title, this feature film follows a blood-bound trio—two teenagers and their uncle—on Louisiana’s rapidly disappearing Isle de Jean Charles. They face an uncertain future as the U.S. government makes an unprecedented effort to resettle their entire community before the island succumbs to the sea.
