“On the Frontline” is Age of Union’s new YouTube series following the people driving change and protecting our planet’s vulnerable wildlife and ecosystems across their grassroots projects. The series brings you up close and personal with the environmental guardians making a real difference on the planet. Each episode is a bite-sized window into Age of Union’s world, showcasing the highs and lows of conservation efforts. From Canada to Trinidad and more, these films explore diverse corners of our planet, bringing you stories that transcend borders in the global mission of environmental preservation.
The launch of the series follows Age of Union’s global acclaim in 2023 for Wildcat which Founder Dax Dasilva co-executive produced and was awarded with the prestigious distinction of “Outstanding Nature Documentary of 2023” at the 44th Annual News & Documentary Emmy Awards. In 2024, Age of Union is sustaining its momentum by executive producing three additional film projects crafted by renowned figures in the industry.
Firstly, the team behind the Emmy award-winning documentary Wildcat has partnered with Dax Dasilva and Age of Union again to produce their second feature documentary about a father and son who are wildlife rescuers in South India. The film is tentatively titled The Snake Rescuer’s Son, and Dasilva is executive producing alongside Melissa Lesh and Trevor Frost who are directing and producing. Principal cinematography is underway and will largely take place in India, and post-production will begin in 2025. Wildcat partner 30 West is also on board as the sales agent.
Dasliva will also serve as an executive producer on Malaika Pictures’ latest film, set to be announced later this year. The film is produced by the acclaimed Richard and Anita Ladkani and directed by Richard, whose previous work includes the Oscar shortlisted The Ivory Game (2016), available on Netflix, and Sundance winner Sea of Shadows (2019), currently streaming on National Geographic and Disney+. Both films were executive produced by Oscar-award-winning actor and producer, Leonardo DiCaprio.
Lastly, Dasliva will be an executive producer of an upcoming National Geographic Society film. The film is a project of the Society’s Impact Story Lab, an award-winning creative unit that combines world-class storytelling with social and behavioral science in order to drive positive change for National Geographic Explorers.
“Film possesses an unparalleled capacity to evoke emotion, challenge perspectives, and inspire change,” says Dax Dasilva, Founder of Age of Union. “At Age of Union, we believe in the profound influence of cinema to not only grab people’s attention but to serve as a catalyst for positive change on a global scale.”
Since the initial launch in October 2021, Age of Union has produced an array of short independent documentaries, including The Heart of a Mission, spotlighting a small startup non-profit of local and international conservationists, Junglekeepers, who come together to protect an area of rainforest in the Peruvian Amazon the size of Rhode Island; We Are the Saint Lawrence River, educating the public on how changing our behaviors will make a difference to the future of the Saint Lawrence River as well as the communities and wildlife that depend on it; and CAUGHT, unveiling the shocking consequences of industrialized fishing and bycatch, which has led to the depletion of oceanic ecosystems and the loss of marine life. As a result of the film CAUGHT and Sea Shepherd France’s efforts, The Council of State recently ordered the French government to establish no-fishing zones and implement other measures to protect dolphins in the Atlantic. Age of Union’s latest short film, The Corridor, follows Congolese environmentalist Dominique Bikaba and a team of international partners, who are on an ambitious mission to secure twenty-one interconnected land titles in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This would establish one of the largest wildlife corridors of community-managed forests on the planet.
“Although we have only recently begun our work in the film industry, we have already seen incredible triumphs,” adds Dasilva. “I look forward to working on many more exciting cinematic projects over the coming years that will shed necessary light on the greatest challenges our planet and its most vulnerable species face today.”
