Young Tony Sinclair in the Serengeti - The Serengeti Rules
Young Tony Sinclair in the Serengeti – The Serengeti Rules

In Nicolas Brown’s award-winning documentary The Serengeti Rules, five pioneering scientists explores some of the most remote and spectacular places on Earth, and make surprising discoveries that flip our understanding of nature on its head. The film which had its world premiere at the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival, will open in New York City at The Quad Cinema on Friday, May 10, 2019 and in Los Angeles at the Laemmle Monica Film Center on Friday, May 17, with and additional select markets in the US and Canada following in the spring and summer via Abramorama.

"Bob Paine (played by Matthieson McCrae) explores the Pacific Northwest in search of a natural laboratory." From THE SERENGETI RULES. Photo credit: Nicolas Brown.
“Bob Paine (played by Matthieson McCrae) explores the Pacific Northwest in search of a natural laboratory.” From THE SERENGETI RULES. Photo credit: Nicolas Brown.

Beginning in the 1960s, a small band of young scientists – Bob Paine, Jim Estes, Mary Power, Tony Sinclair, and John Terborgh – headed out into the wilderness, driven by an insatiable curiosity about how nature works. Immersed in some of the most remote and spectacular places on Earth-from the majestic Serengeti to the Amazon jungle; from the Arctic Ocean to Pacific tide pools-they discovered a single set of rules that govern all life. Now in the twilight of their eminent careers, these five unsung heroes of modern ecology share the stories of their adventures, reveal how their pioneering work flipped our view of nature on its head, and give us a chance to reimagine the world as it could and should be.

Tony Sinclair, John Terborgh, Jim Estes and Mary Power - The Serengeti Rules
Tony Sinclair, John Terborgh, Jim Estes and Mary Power – The Serengeti Rules

Across the globe, these pioneering scientists discovered that among the millions of species on our planet, some “keystone” species are far more important than others. Until their revolutionary discoveries, no one had understood the vital role keystone species play in their ecosystems. But their new knowledge provided new hope, and revealed how the rules they discovered can be used to upgrade and restore the natural world. Based on the book by Sean B. Carroll, The Serengeti Rules will forever change the way we see nature.

The Serengeti Rules has won awards at top-film festivals worldwide including the “Best Environmental Film” at the 2019 Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival, “Jury Award” at the 2018 Wild & Scenic Film Festival, “Green Fire Award” at the 2018 American Conservation Film Festival, “Family Friendly Documentary” at the 2018 Maui Film Festival, “Golden Owl” at the 2018 Bergen International Film Festival and “Smithsonian Channel Theatrical Award” at the 2018 Wildscreen Panda Awards.

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