Nat Geo WILD and Sun Valley Film Festival Launch Seventh Annual Wild to Inspire Short Film Contest to Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day

Grand Prize Includes Festival Screening and Filmmaking Expedition Abroad

In partnership with the Sun Valley Film Festival, Nat Geo WILD announces the seventh annual Wild to Inspire short-film contest. This year, the contest is seeking short films inspired by the milestone 50th anniversary of Earth Day. National Geographic has a storied history of inspiring people to care about the planet and is now looking for films to help with this mission. Films should celebrate the natural world, inspire viewers to work toward a planet in balance in the 21st century and draw a connection to the Earth Day anniversary.

The grand-prize winner will receive a once-in-a-lifetime, all-expenses-paid excursion to one of the far corners of the globe to find out firsthand what it’s like to be a National Geographic filmmaker. Past winners have traveled to Africa and Peru.

U.S. residents are invited to submit a short film of three minutes or less using the submission platform Submittable™. Up to three finalists, announced in early March 2020, will receive an invitation to attend SVFF, which unites filmmakers and industry insiders from around the world, in Sun Valley, Idaho, March 18-22. At SVFF, the finalists will screen their films for festival attendees and before a panel of judges that includes Nat Geo WILD executives. The grand-prize winner will be announced at the festival’s closing ceremony.

“National Geographic has always been at the forefront of storytelling excellence, having redefined the natural history genre throughout the decades,” says Chris Albert, EVP of global communications at National Geographic and Nat Geo WILD. “Which is why it’s so relevant to inspire the next generation of filmmakers who are eager to put our planet in the spotlight and encourage guardianship and sustainability through heightened awareness of our living, breathing and dynamic planet.”

Since 2012, the Sun Valley Film Festival has invited fans and filmmakers to America’s first ski resort to celebrate the magic of storytelling. The year-round Sun Valley Film Initiative develops professionals and illuminates the process of filmmaking, propelling emerging voices with grants and education. Each March, SVFF celebrates with a slate of cutting-edge films and TV premieres, industry panels, engaging Coffee Talks with entertainment luminaries, a Screenwriters Lab led by award-winning writers and a series of parties culminating with the spectacular SVFF Awards Bash. The 2020 SVFF will be held March 18-22. SVFF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. (Learn more at sunvalleyfilmfestival.org.)

“Sun Valley is committed to bringing together the best and brightest in filmmaking while also celebrating the aspiring creators whose work deserves our attention,” says Teddy Grennan, executive director of the Sun Valley Film Festival. “Screening Wild to Inspire finalists during our annual festival is just one way this contest helps foster new talent.”

Travel/Living Well: Auberge Resorts Collection To Bring Unique Character And Modern Luxury To The Heart Of Austin, Texas, With Commodore Perry Estate

Auberge Resorts Collection, a portfolio of award-winning hotels, resorts and residences, today announced that it plans a Spring 2020 opening for its first urban retreat in the dynamic destination of Austin, Texas. Commodore Perry Estate, Auberge Resorts Collection will be a modern interpretation of a residential estate from yesteryear, where guests are invited to sit back, celebrate and inspire thoughtful conversation. Designed by internationally known designer Ken Fulk, the resort will bring a new level of contemporary glamour, whimsical soul and effortless luxury representative of Austin’s uniqueness. The intimate 10-acre resort offers a uniquely Texas familiarity brimming with character, independent spirit and charm, boasting 42 rooms and 12 suites, and amenities including an organic urban farm, Lutie’s – the signature garden restaurant, a members club and a serene outdoor swimming pool.

Auberge Resorts Collection (PRNewsFoto/Auberge Resorts Collection)

“It is with great pride that we welcome Commodore Perry Estate to the Auberge family. Bringing a combination of exquisite design, exceptional location and an authentically Austin experience, this one-of-a-kind Estate introduces a new level of style and distinctive luxury to the diverse city,” said Marco Bustamante, General Manager, Commodore Perry Estate. “We are delighted that Auberge Resorts Collection has been welcomed so warmly into the vibrant Austin community, and are excited to be a best-loved destination for events, weddings and celebration.”

Commodore Perry Estate, Auberge Resorts Collection

Built in the Jazz Age in 1928, Commodore Perry Estate was originally the country home of Commodore Edgar and Lutie Perry, a place for them to entertain and connect with family when they weren’t traveling through Europe. The 10,800-square-foot Italianate mansion was designed by Dallas architect Henry Bowers Thompson in 1927. Declaring the home, “a great place to throw a party,” Perry was popular for his Gatsby-esque soirées on property. In subsequent decades, Commodore Perry Estate went through many chapters, housing several schools and adding a chapel, and serving as the site of prominent weddings and important Austin events. Located just north of The University of Texas at Austin in the historic neighborhood of Hancock, Commodore Perry Estate is surrounded by expansive grounds, lush green English gardens, spring-fed Waller Creek and a stone wall enclosing the property to create an ideal setting for year-round getaways. The intimate chapel and gardens are the perfect backdrop for special events, weddings and private celebrations.

Commodore Perry Estate features signature imaginative elements from powerhouse designer Ken Fulk, known for projects such as San Francisco’s The Battery and Saint Joseph’s Arts Society, Legacy Records in New York’s Hudson Yards and notable private residential commissions. The layered aesthetic is part history, part imagination and all Austin. The imaginative interiors represent over two years of Fulk’s shopping excursions to Round Top Antiques Show, the Lone Star State’s haven for antiquing. Fulk has curated a mix of custom and heirloom vintage pieces creating an atmosphere that feels collected over time. Fulk worked in collaboration with renowned architecture firm Moule and Polyzoides and award-winning local Austin firms Clayton & Little and Ten Eyck Landscape Architects to restore Commodore Perry Estate to its former glory.

“When I first saw Commodore Perry Estate, I was simply mesmerized. It was as if a European country estate had been transported to a bucolic Texas hill country landscape,” said Fulk. “We strived to craft experiences that combined a relaxed European elegance and  true gracious Texas hospitality with an ease and comfort to every experience that will welcome members and visitors to sit back and enjoy themselves.”

As the centerpiece of the property, the original Mansion instantly communicates an elevated, residential atmosphere. Guests will feel as though they’re arriving at the stately home of an old family friend. Handed keys upon arrival, guests will be invited to enjoy the Mansion as they would their own private estate. The five bedrooms from the Perry’s original residence have been transformed into uniquely charming hotel suites as a nod to its original inhabitants. Edgar Perry’s Suite, with its safari-inspired play of patterns, reflects a love of world travel and high culture, while Lutie Perry’s Suite presents a softer side in a palette of pink velvet, faux fur and muted leopard carpet. The downstairs Living Room boasts a new cocktail bar, and the sunny Solarium, with its original tile floors, is perfect for small bites or cocktails. The Dining Room and Breakfast Room are dedicated to informal dining experiences throughout the day. With a wide range of indoor and outdoor lounge options, including the Loggia and Terrace, members and resident members can enjoy a daily menu of Estate favorites and signature cocktails with prime seating for club programming, such as intimate concerts, lectures or tastings. Membership at The Commodore Perry Estate offers members and their guests’ exclusive access to the resort in addition to inspired, cultural programming, experiences and events.

The new private club at Commodore Perry Estate will draw membership from the diverse fabric of the ever-changing Austin community. Offering a stunning environment for locals to meet, dine, collaborate and nourish while cultivating community connection and building on the Estate’s history and traditions. The club also seeks to acknowledge and support exceptional local and national talent in the arts, fashion, culinary, wellness and finance realms to not only provide a rich and unique experience for members, but to also give back to the Austin community.