Island of the Hippos
Director: Carlos Pérez Romero
Country of Origin: Spain
2020
They are unique animals. On the beaches of the Bissagos Islands, off the coast of Guinea Bissau, in the Atlantic, we can find strange footprints. They seem to be misplaced since they are made by the hippopotamus, an animal that otherwise lives in fresh water. But these are different ones. This is a population of hippos that lives in coastal waters and is the most western one in the range of this species, related to cetaceans.This documentary explores the life within this hippo colony, where dominating males are strongly gregarious and attack any intruder who might enter their territory. We will follow their incursions into neighbouring areas or into the sea and witness their perfect adaptation to this environment, where females are said to give birth for safety reasons. At the same time, we will get to know their environment and the animals whith whom they share this little known place in West Africa.
Director Biography:
After working as a camera operator in TVE, in 1992 he founded 1080 Wildlife, an audiovisual production company with which to approach his own projects, mainly focused on nature’s documentary. Fruit of this effort are, until now, a fortnight of documentaries and more than 300 hours of TV programs that are being broadcast worldwide and, at the same time, have deserved more than 80 awards at national and international festivals.Carlos Pérez was awarded in 2016 as best director at the Kolkata International Wildlife Festival (India) and documentaries produced by 1080 have received various awards and mentions at festivals around the world.
The Extremadura Nature Defense Association, ADENEX, awarded 1080 Wildlife in 2017 for the best communication work in favor of nature conservation. Carlos is a regular contributor to several TVE programs: “Que Animal”, “The Green Beetle” and “Here the Earth”.
Bio-filmography:
The voice of the forest (Spain) 2012 (Director)
The Universe of the Primilla (Spain) 2013 (Director)
A sky of birds (England) 2013 (Director)
Invaders (Spain) 2013 (Director)
The Secret of the Plains (Spain) 2013 (Director)
Grullas Veo (Spain) 2014 (Director)
Fire Alert Series (Spain) 2014 (Director)
Spring the return of life (Spain and Portugal) 2014 (Director)
Equatonatura (Equatorial Guinea) 2014 (Director)
Cat after the ashes (Spain) 2016 (Director)
Come from heaven (Spain) 2016 (Director)
Dehesa (Spain and Portugal) 2017 (Director)
A winter in the South (Spain and Portugal) 2017 (Producer and director of photography)
Jerte wildlife in the cherry tree valley (Spain) 2017 (Producer)
Salvajes (Spain) 2018 (Producer and director of photography)
Iceland the newborn island (Iceland) 2018 (Director)
I am the best (Spain) 2018, (Director)
Hijos de Saliega (Spain) 2019, (Producer and director of photography)
The birds of the cold (Spain, Finland and Portugal) 2019, (Director)
Rookies (Spain and Portugal) 2019, in production (Director)
The island of hippos 2019 (Guinea Bissau), (Director)
Queens of Orango 2019 (Guinea Bissau), in production (Producer)
Feature film “Extremadura, the natural paradise of Europe, in production (Director)
Several of these documentaries are being broadcast on: Arte France, Rai Italia, TVE, Amazon, RTP Portugal, CCTV China, Planet TV Germany, France Télévisions, SRF Switzerland, Annimaux France, TG4 Ireland, Wildlife Planet Russia, AMC Networks, Canal Extremadura TV, MCOT Thailand
Director Carlos Pérez Romero
Producer: Carlos Pérez RomeroWriter: Javier Ortega Martínez