2006 Wildscreen Film Festival Panda Awards (Bristol, England)

In the Wildscreen Film Festival's gala event held this week in Bristol, England -- an event attended by leading filmmakers from across the globe -- Lost in the Woods: The Movie won the esteemed Wildscreen Panda's Children's Choice Award for the best children's wildlife film world-wide. The coveted Panda Awards are considered the world's most prestigious awards and the highest accolade a film can win.

"This is essentially the Oscars of the wildlife film industry," said an excited Laura Sams who, along with brother and co-director Robert Sams, was at the event in Bristol, England to accept the trophy. "Children judge this category and apparently all the children on the 'jury' unanimously voted for Lost in the Woods!" she continued. The sister/brother duo also wrote and performed most of the original music and unique character voices in the movie.

Produced by best-selling Michigan authors and professional wildlife photographers Carl R. Sams II and Jean Stoick, Lost in the Woods: The Movie is based on the husband and wife team's award-winning children's book, Lost in the Woods.

"When we heard the news that we'd won, I almost fell off my chair!" Carl Sams exclaimed. "This is really big news! Our first movie, Stranger in the Woods: The Movie was a finalist - we felt like we'd won just making it that far!"

The 2006 Wildscreen Film Festival attracted programs from filmmakers world-wide including some of the world's largest film producers such as the BBC, Granada, Discovery and National Geographic. The event, held every two years in association with the World Wildlife Fund (United Kingdom), applauds excellence in productions about the natural world, and increases the global public's awareness and understanding of nature and the urgent need to conserve it.

Live video and photography from children's book Lost in the Woods was used to produce the movie. Both tell the story of birds and animals who are concerned for a fawn they think is "lost". Viewers learn that newborn fawns, who are born with no scent, spend their first weeks without mom because her scent could attract predators. She comes back to nurse and care for him, but doesn't stay long. Being alone and using spots for camouflage are nature's way of keeping fawns safe.

Rob and Laura Sams (Sisbro Studios) directed both award-winning movies, Lost in the Woods and Stranger in the Woods. They also travel to schools giving energetic educational presentations to children. Through their movies and school programs, children learn about nature in a fun way that hardly seems like a lesson.

"We were lucky to have been able to work with such a fine book with such fine photographs," Laura said. "And hopefully, if we keep doing this, we'll give kids the chance to get to know and love the natural world before we ask them to save it."

For more information on Lost in the Woods: The Movie visit www.carlsams.com or call 1-800-552-1867. To learn more about Sisbro Studios and the Wildscreen Festival visit www.sisbro.com and www.wildscreenfestival.org respectively.