Green Stories 2025: Asia?s Pioneering Wildlife & Environmental Film Lab Expands Its Vision
06 Nov 2025 to 11 Nov 2025Goa, India – November 2025: After a powerful debut in 2024, Green Stories, Asia’s first dedicated mentoring and pitching platform for wildlife and environmental documentaries, returns to Goa in November 2025. Designed to nurture bold and urgent environmental storytelling from Asia, this initiative continues to build a creative ecosystem for filmmakers working at the intersection of nature, climate, and community.
Green Stories launched in April 2024 as a collaboration between
Supported by the National Geographic Society, Royal Enfield Social Mission and Rainmatter Foundation and hosted in association with Sunaparanta Goa Centre for the Arts, Green Stories brings together filmmakers, mentors, and industry leaders to nurture impactful storytelling that addresses pressing environmental challenges. Partners like SONY India, NEWF South Africa, AltEff India, DMZ Docs Korea, CCCL Thailand and the Jackson Wild US reflects a collective commitment to strengthening climate narratives from the Global South and building real pathways for creative talent in Asia.
Following an overwhelming response in its inaugural year, Green Stories 2025 expands its cohort and its programming. Selected filmmakers will participate in a 4-day immersive lab led by global industry leaders—Emmy, Peabody, BAFTA, and Academy Award-winning filmmakers —culminating in a high-level pitch to international broadcasters, funders, festivals, and distributors.
Over 100 submissions
were received for the second edition, and 16 outstanding projects have been selected to participate in an intensive, four-day incubation lab where they will be mentored by global experts, including Emmy, Academy, and Peabody Award-winning filmmakers. This hands-on guidance will culminate in a major pitch event, where participants will present their projects to a panel of 25+ international and nationals broadcasters, distributors, foundations and festival organisers, offering an unparalleled opportunity for global exposure and collaboration.
Why Green Stories Matters
Asia and the Global South are home to the most urgent environmental stories of our time—yet filmmakers continue to face barriers to funding, training, and global visibility. Green Stories builds the pathways that have long been missing.
Kaitlin Yarnall, Chief Storytelling Officer, National Geographic Society, highlighted the importance of the collaboration: "At the National Geographic Society, we believe in the power of stories to illuminate and protect the wonder of our world. Central to the power of our stories are the storytellers who dedicate their time, talent, and creativity to telling them. For this reason, we are honoured to work with Green Stories to further support storytellers in India, South Asia, and Southeast Asia—those dedicated to bringing stories that inspire illumination and protection."
"We, at Royal Enfield, believe in the importance of the connections between communities and the natural world, and our aim is to support those who work to protect it. Green Stories aligns with our mission to promote meaningful change and knowledge sharing through storytelling. We are happy to come on board and support this platform that empowers storytellers to explore environmental narratives that inspire both action and reflection." - Bidisha Dey, Executive Director, Eicher Group Foundation
"Green Stories is not just an event—it's a platform for change. Our vision is for Green Stories to evolve into a nurturing mentorship safe space for filmmakers, while also creating crucial access to markets and resources—something we all stumble around for. This first edition is a testament to collaboration and community, and we are grateful for the incredible support from all our supporters.” — Mike Pandey, Founder, Green Stories
Isheta Salgaocar, Patron, Sunaparanta Goa Centre for the Arts, emphasised the importance of art in environmental advocacy: "At Sunaparanta, we believe that art is a powerful tool for change, and storytelling is its most compelling expression. Green Stories aligns with our vision of using art and creativity to spark conversations around critical environmental challenges. We are excited to host this platform and foster a community of storytellers dedicated to making a difference."
Mukesh Srivastava, Head of Digital Imaging Business at Sony India said, “We are excited to be a part of Green Stories, a powerful initiative that puts wildlife & conservation stories at the center stage. At Sony, we duly understand the power of filmmaking and grateful to provide all the technology support to help creators shape their vision.”
"Our goal is to build a sustainable, long-term platform that nurtures storytelling for environmental change. By creating a space for filmmakers to connect and collaborate, we hope to amplify stories that inspire empathy and action." - Rita Banerji, Founder, Green Stories,
"Green Stories embodies our commitment to nurturing the next generation of wildlife and environmental filmmakers. We believe that storytelling has the power to inspire change, and through this initiative, we aim to create a vibrant community that not only supports local talent but also amplifies crucial narratives around conservation and sustainability." — Nilotpal Majumdar, Founder, Green Stories
About Green Stories
Launched in April 2024, Green Stories is a not-for-profit initiative dedicated to fostering impactful environmental storytelling in Asia and beyond. Green Stories is a collaboration between Earth Matters Foundation, Docedge, Documentary Resource Initiaive (DRI), Dusty Foot Foundation, Green Hub and Riverbank Studios, created to offer filmmakers a dedicated space to develop environmental narratives and access a global network of broadcasters, producers, and mentors. As we grow, our purpose remains grounded in community, collaboration, and impact.
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