In conversation with Florian Ledoux
Award-winning wildlife photographer and filmmaker Florian Ledoux presents an intimate and deeply emotional journey into the Arctic through his latest documentary film, Between Breaths. Set among the frozen landscapes of Svalbard, the project is the result of more than a decade spent living and working on the sea ice, where Ledoux developed an extraordinary connection with one of the Arctic’s most iconic and vulnerable creatures: a young orphaned polar bear named Grinch.
In this special event, Ledoux will first guide the audience through the creative and emotional process behind the project, sharing the experiences, challenges, and reflections that shaped both the film and his approach to storytelling in extreme environments.
The talk will be followed by the screening of Between Breaths, a visually powerful and poetic documentary that transcends traditional wildlife filmmaking. Without narration or forced interaction, the film captures the silent and gradual bond that emerges between photographer and animal — built only through patience, distance, and time. Through Ledoux’s lens, Grinch becomes more than a subject: she embodies the fragile balance of the Arctic ecosystem and the invisible connection that links humans to the wild.
Blending cinematic beauty with profound emotional depth, Between Breaths invites viewers into a contemplative experience where nature speaks through silence, breath, light, and presence. The result is both a stunning visual immersion into the Arctic and a moving reflection on coexistence, loss, and survival in a rapidly changing world.
Take advantage of this event to plan a weekend in Siena and fully experience the exhibitions and events of the Siena Awards Festival.
Info
Location: Teatro dei Rinnovati |
Piazza del Campo, 1 – Siena
Date: 9 october 2026
Time: 6:00 pm
Photographer Biography: Florian is an award-winning wildlife photographer that grew up in France and is now based in the north of Norway and work in the polar regions. He started his photographic carrier in the Military French Navy as a photo reporter. His passion for nature and later the high Arctic, its wild and unforgiving landscapes and animals that call it home, led to pursue personal projects and his dreams of documenting the polar regions. His work has been published in magazines like National Geographic, Time US, Géo France / Spain, Oceanographic UK, National Geographic Traveler, Le Figaro, as well as in the international daily press. His engagement to bring new and meaningful images is also recognized by conservation organisms such as the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and The Nature Conservancy. Awards : 1st Prize Aerial video HIPA Award 2019 – Drone Photographer of the Year 2018 – Grand Prize Drone Photography 2017 – 1st Prize Wildlife Arctic Biodiversity 2018 – 1st Prize Drone animal video 2017 – 3rd Prize Landscape Arctic Biodiversity 2018 – 3rd Prize Wildlife Nature Conservancy 2018 – Highly Honored Nature’s Best Photography 2018 Conservation Story. Books: Masters of Drone Photography 2018 (GMC Publications Ltd) – Our Planet 2019 Alastair Fothergill/Foreword: Sir David Attenborough – CANADA 2019 (Harper Collins).
