A close-up of a vibrant blue and green damselfly perched on a leaf evokes the elegance of mythical dragons. The insect's iridescent wings shimmer, and its slender body is captured in sharp detail against a blurred green background.
Close-up of two dragonflies in mid-flight, their translucent wings resembling ethereal damsels delicately perched on each other against a soft, blurred background.
Two dragonflies, reminiscent of elegant damsels, cling in a mating position to a vertical green stem against a soft, pale background. One dragonfly is blue and the other light brown, both displaying delicate, translucent wings that capture the ethereal beauty of mythical dragons.

Dragons & Damsels

Nature & Wildlife·1 x 50 min·Completed

Dragonflies and damselflies defy expectations with their stunning flight, complex behavior, and intricate personalities in this captivating insect adventure.

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Genre
Nature & Wildlife
Duration
1 × 50 min
Definition
4K
Audio
5.1
Status
Completed
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Synopsis

More beautiful than butterflies, more spectacular fliers than hummingbirds, and with intriguing behaviour as complex as mammals or birds, dragonflies and damselflies are the ultimate insects.

They’ve been flying around for hundreds of millions of years, crossing paths with dinosaurs before we mammals were even a twinkle in the eye of evolution, and are often described as “primitive” – which is simply wrong. Surviving on the planet for that long means being pretty special – and this film shows just how special they are.

Dragonflies live very complex lives and, as we film them in intimate detail, we find ourselves in a world of drama and intrigue, even meeting those with their own distinct personalities. In many species, males hold and defend territories, just like birds, sometimes even co-operating with each other.

Some damselflies also defend their territories. Demoiselles are a beautiful species in which the males have deep blue patches on their wings (different in different species), used to display to rival males as they fly slowly, low over the water surface.

Dragonflies are masters of the air, and the latest high-speed camera technology reveals just how impressive they can be. They easily match hummingbird flight – flying backwards, sideways or vertically upwards, and are even better fliers than hummingbirds, because they have twice as many wings!

Dragonflies use their amazing aerial skill to catch insects on the wing – even the most agile flies can’t escape. Just last year, scientists found that dragonflies predict their preys’ movements with the same kinds of calculations used by advanced vertebrates, from a brain just a millimetre or so across.  We meet scientists and engineers studying dragonfly flight and, understanding how they fly, building innovative robots to fly the same way.

The film follows the summer season as it unfolds and more and more dragons and damsels emerge on to the lake. It shows that even insects have distinct characters.

We discover jealous rivals, adulterous relationships and gallant lovers – but beneath this miniature soap opera are sophisticated behaviours driven by natural selection. It shows off the colourful world of dragons and damsels in all its glory – a small world but one full of dangers and triumphs. Often the little things have the biggest stories to tell.

Team

Written and directed by Steve Nicholls
Executive producers Susanne Lummer, Sabine Holzer
Production companies A production of Terra Mater Factual Studios produced by Hooded Crow

Awards & Recognitions

Ludwigsburg, Germany NaturVision Filmfestival Best Camera 2020
Redondo Beach, USA US International Film & Video Festival Silver Screen (Category: Nature, Wildlife) 2020
New York, USA New York Festivals TV & Film Awards Gold World Medal (Category: Nature & Wildlife) 2020
Cogne, Italy Gran Paradiso Film Festival Nomination 2020
Goethe Science Film Festival Official Selection 2020
Rotterdam, Netherlands WFFR - Wildlife Film Festival Rotterdam Official Selection 2020
Eckernförde, Germany Green Screen - Internationales Naturfilmfestival Eckernförde Nomination (Category: Best Camera) 2020
Eckernförde, Germany Green Screen - Internationales Naturfilmfestival Eckernförde Nomination (Category: Best Postproduction) 2020
Australia SCINEMA International Science Film Festival Nomination 2020
Banff, Canada BANFF World Media Festival - Rockie Awards International Nomination (Category: Documentary & Factual: Environmental and Wildlife) 2020
Gödöllö, Hungary International Nature Film Festival Gödöllö Official Selection 2020
Albert, France FIFA - Festival International du Film Animalier Official Selection 2020
Cannes, France Cannes Corporate Media & TV Awards Winner Gold Dolphin (Category: Nature, Environment & Ecology) 2019
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