Critically acclaimed heartwarming documentary Billy and Molly: An Otter Love Story

Billy and Molly: An Otter Love Story Premieres on 27 October 2024 on National Geographic across Africa

The acclaimed documentary special Billy and Molly: An Otter Love Story, directed by distinguished photographer and filmmaker Charlie Hamilton James and produced by Emmy® and BAFTA Award-winner Jeff Wilson of Silverback Films, received rave reviews after its recent world premiere at SXSW and at subsequent international film festivals. The emotionally powerful film shows audiences how the ability to love can reawaken us to the beauty of nature. Billy and Molly: An Otter Love Story will premiere on 27 October at 6pm (CAT) on National Geographic (DStv 181, Starsat 220) across Africa.

When a wild otter in desperate need of help washes up on his jetty in the remote Scottish islands of Shetland, Billy Mail, his wife Susan, and their devoted sheepdog Jade find themselves with a unique new member of their family. When Molly first arrives at the Mail residence, Billy and Susan take it upon themselves to care for the ill otter, providing Billy with a new sense of purpose.

Critics raved following the world premiere at SXSW, calling it “one of 2024’s very best documentaries” (Sunshine State Cineplex) and “an emotional powerhouse of a documentary” (Screen Zealots).

“Billy and Molly: An Otter Love Story is an inspiring story that we hope will encourage viewers to pause and reconnect with the world around them,” said Tom McDonald, National Geographic’s executive vice president of Global Factual and Unscripted Content. “Charlie Hamilton James and Silverback Films are the perfect partners to bring this story to viewers around the world. This remarkable film truly captures the beauty of nature and humanity and how it impacts our lives in the most unexpected ways.”

Told through powerful cinematography and with music composed by Erland Cooper, Billy and Molly: An Otter Love Story takes us on an emotional journey that illustrates the power of love and the beauty of the natural world. Through the quiet, daily interactions of Molly’s time with the Mails, viewers will understand how animals — and the environment around us — heavily impact our lives.

“This film was the ultimate passion project for me, and simply a dream come true,” said director Charlie Hamilton James. “At its core, Billy and Molly: An Otter Love Story is about love between man and wife, and man and otter, and for the natural world. We hope viewers will feel this love radiate when they watch the film.”

Charlie Hamilton James is a world-renowned National Geographic photographer, filmmaker and author known for his captivating work on wildlife and conservation issues. He began his career at 16, working on David Attenborough’s “Trails of Life” before going on to direct and shoot documentaries for clients including National Geographic and the BBC. In 2022, he won the National Geographic Photographer’s Photographer Award for his work capturing East Africa’s Serengeti ecosystem and other conservation-based stories.

Billy and Molly: An Otter Love Story is directed by Charlie Hamilton James and produced by Emmy and BAFTA Award-winner Jeff Wilson with Silverback Films. The film world premiered at South by Southwest (SXSW) in Austin and continued its festival run at the Copenhagen International Documentary Festival (CPH:DOX) and DC Environmental Film Festival. It’s set to play at the San Francisco Film Festival (SFFILM) and Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival later this month. Alastair Fothergill and Keith Scholey serve as executive producers, along with National Geographic’s Tom McDonald and Janet Vissering. The film is edited by Sam Rogers, with cinematography by Charlie Hamilton James, Johnny Rolt and Bertie Gregory, and music composed by Erland Cooper.