Filmmakers, creators, and actor James Norton celebrate stories of people and planet health in London
London played host to the global launch of Planet Health Stories on 2 December - a new film series by Bupa and Earthrise Studio which brings together creators and filmmakers from six countries to explore personal connections between human health and the health of our planet.
The evening was attended by actor and climate advocate James Norton, filmmaker Alice Aedy and National Geographic explorer Anastasia Taylor-Lind – plus climate campaigner Will Attenborough and cinematographer Sophie Darlington.
With nearly 60% of the world’s population living in cities and rising, many people are losing access to nature and the associated health benefits. The way we move, eat, breathe, live, and connect is deeply linked to the health of the places we live in. A healthy environment is essential for both physical and mental wellbeing.
Research shows that ecological storytelling especially when people are actively involved, builds empathy and emotional connection to the planet, helping individuals see themselves as part of nature and motivating meaningful action.
Planet Health Stories explores themes of hope, movement, access to green spaces, mental health and community. Each story offers a unique perspective on how our health is intertwined with the health of the planet.
Commenting on the collection of films, Actor and climate advocate, James Norton shared: “Each of these powerful films are stories of hope, beautifully exploring the connection between our personal health and climate. As a type 1 diabetic I am acutely aware of my body’s needs, but often as a global society we are less cognisant of the planet’s. Planet Health Stories showcases how the art of film can be used as a powerful tool to capture and inspire action.”
Alice Aedy, Climate Campaigner, Producer, National Geographic Explorer and Earthrise Studio Co-Founder, added: “At Earthrise we’ve been focused on climate storytelling for many years, and the response to the Planet Health Stories collaboration with Bupa has been greater than we imagined. It shows the desire to tell personal, emotive stories that show how caring for our health and the health of our planet go hand in hand — a story rarely told until now.”
“When so much can feel despairing, this is the kind of hope and action we need."
Fiona Bosman, Group Brand Director at Bupa, added: “Storytelling is the perfect vehicle to spotlight the inextricable link between people and planet health. Our hope is that these stories spark a conversation and help more people understand this connection, so that they can feel empowered to protect both their own health and the health of our planet.”
Explore the full Planet Health Stories collection on YouTube and discover the filmmakers and their films below.
Notes to editors
Supporting assets available here
Collection of films available here
Planet Health Stories filmmakers and content
Filmmakers
Commissioned filmmakers from around the world who share their personal stories of people and planet health:
- Gaz Oakley (1.7M IG followers) – UK
- ‘Waste to Wisdom’
- Gaz’s backyard compost heap becomes a lesson in renewal. As he learns how decay feeds new life, he not only changes how he lives but also finds calm, balance, and better mental health through the process.
- Nadeem Perera (12.2K IG followers) – UK
- ‘Rudeboy’ – live now
- For Nadeem, life in East London can be intense but nature keeps him steady. A simple moment with a bird opened his eyes to how the natural world can ground and guide him, even in the middle of the city.
- Ain Raadik (314K IG followers) – Australia
- ‘Inner Tide’
- A poetic interpretation of how connection to the body and the sea allows surfer Laure Mayer to stay grounded and in-touch.
- Musti Yamak (159K IG followers) – South Africa, currently in Japan
- ‘The Origin of Inspiration’ – live now
- This piece captures the quiet power of slowing down - following Musti who escapes the noise of daily life to rediscover inspiration in nature’s stillness. Through the gentle rhythm of film photography and ambient sound, it explores how creativity returns when we stop chasing and start noticing.
- Sebastien Zanella (197K IG followers) - France, based in Spain
- A meditative short film following Marie-Laure, a holistic guide, as she practices stillness and listens to what the world whispers in silence. Through quiet presence, she shows how slowing down can reconnect us to our bodies, ourselves, and the rhythms of nature.
- Aditi Mayer (107K IG followers) – USA
- ‘In Conversation with the Land’ - live now
- Rooted in ancestral wisdom and grounded in place, Aditi bridges her Punjabi heritage with her life in Los Angeles through the act of growing - weaving together soil, memory, and care. In her garden, she rediscovers that healing the Earth and healing ourselves are threads of the same tapestry.
- Louis VI
- A short film exploring the art of listening, set against a natural forest. With recording equipment as a companion, Louis delves into what listening does to the nervous system, tracing the ancient lineage of ancestral listeners we all descend from. It reveals how relearning to listen can reconnect us to nature.
Creators sourced through social call out
We released this callout at the end of August and received almost 1000 film maker entries, from which we selected the following 5 successful winning applicants:
- Aliza Sovani (1.2K IG followers) - Canada, based in France
- ‘Tawḥīd (توحيد)’
- Tawḥid (pronounced “Taw-heed”) means Oneness. Living with multiple sclerosis while raising my daughter in France has led me to discover that my body, my breath, and my healing are inseparable from the health of the planet.
- Al Johnstone (1.3K IG followers) – UK
- ‘Slower Steps’– live now
- Following spinal cord damage which left her paralysed on her left side, Alice sets out along the Cornish Celtic Way. Her journey becomes a pilgrimage of slowness, drawing lessons of compassion, adaptation and interconnectedness from the natural world - and reflecting on the need to give back to it.
- Sydney Gawlik (6.7K IG followers) – USA
- ‘Too Bright to be Dark’ – live now
- Against the backdrop of a world that never turns off, and shooting across Japan, China, and the USA, this story weaves the disappearance of fireflies with the disappearance of quiet in our souls, my own soul, asking what might we regain both societally and personally if we learn to emulate nature’s wisdom, instead of drowning it out with the cacophony of this modern world's noise.
- Michaela Skovranova (184K IG followers) – Australia
- ‘Shared Breath’
- A story of finding stillness in water while living with chronic illness. It reminds us of the ancient reflex we share with marine life, revealing how our bodies and the ocean breathe together.
- Ava Martinez-Lambert (650 IG followers) – UK
- ‘Breathe Her In’ – live now
- By protecting urban green spaces, cities become places of adventure - as we see through the eyes of a community of women and non-binary runners.
About Bupa
Established in 1947, Bupa's purpose is helping people live longer, healthier, happier lives and making a better world. We are an international healthcare company serving over 60 million customers worldwide. With no shareholders, we reinvest profits into providing more and better healthcare for the benefit of current and future customers. Bupa has businesses around the world, principally in Australia, the UK, Spain, Poland, Chile, Hong Kong SAR, India, Türkiye, Brazil, Mexico and New Zealand. We also have associate businesses in Saudi Arabia.
About Earthrise
Earthrise is a climate storytelling studio celebrating human nature.
Through independent multi-media storytelling and community engagement, we educate millions of people on the climate crisis we face and the solutions we all have within reach.
Humans are a part of nature, not apart from it. Our shared humanity and deep connection to the natural world are at the heart of everything we do.
