Islands of the Hornbills

Overview

Journey to the world’s third-largest rainforest—a vast ecosystem spanning Indonesia from Sumatra to Borneo and east to Papua—that receives far less global attention than the Amazon or Congo, yet is equally vital to our planet’s future. Created to raise awareness around the 2025 UN Climate Conference (COP30) and its focus on forests and the communities who depend on them, this film follows conservation biologist Yoki Hadiprakrasa and wildlife photographer Tim Laman as they travel across Indonesia to reveal an unexpected story: how hornbills serve as the “farmers of the forest,” dispersing tens of thousands of seeds annually and regenerating the rainforest with every flight. This film celebrates the interconnection between thriving forests, abundant wildlife, and prosperous communities, reminding us that forests are not just carbon sinks, but living ecosystems deeply intertwined with cultures and the future of our shared climate.