‘Een Gemeenschap van Leven’ wins Audience Award at Wildlife Film Festival Rotterdam
With the highest audience score ever, the film “Een Gemeenschap van Leven” (A Community of Life) convincingly won the Audience Award at the Wildlife Film Festival in Rotterdam.
In Rik van der Linden’s film, ecologist and philosopher Matthijs Schouten shows how vulnerable yet resilient our natural world is, and how humans and nature are inextricably linked. And that clearly resonates with viewers.
The nature film places the oak processionary in a broader perspective. While the caterpillar is sometimes known as the “itch caterpillar,” the film shows how this native caterpillar is part of our ecosystem. The message is clear: if we view the caterpillar not simply as a pest, but as a link in a life-form, we can learn to manage temporary nuisance and enhance biodiversity. This requires a different approach to management and more space for nature in our environment.
A story of connectedness
“The Audience Award is the greatest honor we could have received,” says Kathleen Verstraete, oak processionary expert with the Province of Antwerp. “The film received a 4.9/5 audience rating, the highest they’ve ever seen at the film festival. We want the film to resonate with people and policymakers, prompting them to reflect on how we treat our natural environment. Hopefully, this will lead to behavioral changes in contemporary nature management and more sustainable techniques. For example, oak processionary caterpillars are often still controlled with biocides, even though this isn’t necessary everywhere and is harmful to other species.“
The documentary impressively demonstrates how everything in nature is interconnected. Filmmaker Rik van der Linden and eco-philosopher Matthijs Schouten take viewers into the universe of the common oak and its inhabitants, from birds and insects to the oak processionary. They reveal not only the beauty of this ecosystem but also the role of humans within it. In doing so, they connect it to current social issues, such as the oak processionary and how we as humans interact with nature. This isn’t a story about fear and nuisance, but a fresh perspective on our place in the ecosystem.
The film has now reached hundreds of people in the Netherlands and Belgium and encourages reflection on how we interact with nature in our environment. This is a timely and important topic now that various plant and animal species are under pressure and in times of climate change. The award confirms the power of film as a tool to inspire, inform, and connect.
Film screenings
“Een Gemeenschap van Leven” premiered on 8/11 and 9/11 at the Wildlife Film Festival Rotterdam. Screenings in Flanders will follow in 2026. New screening dates will be announced via this website and the newsletter as soon as they become available.
Interested in screening the film yourself?
Local authorities interested in screening the film can request it via [email protected].
TIP: Be sure to check out the accompanying process package. It encourages reflection and discussion after the film. Interested in a workshop to further discuss the theme, or to view or screen the film? You can read more about this in the process package as well.