Manuela Zapata Franco
Colombia
Biography
Birdwatching guide, filmmaker, and visual storyteller focused on birds and their relationship with the environment.
Her work centres on documenting birds interacting with their habitat—plants, flowers, and food sources—exploring ecology through an aesthetic and sensitive lens. Through moving images, she seeks to capture behaviors, connections, and natural rhythms that reveal the complexity and beauty of ecosystems.
She works across diverse landscapes in Colombia, from the dry forests of the Caribbean to the Andes, creating narratives where birds take center stage and the land is an essential part of the story. Her approach highlights the potential of observation and visual storytelling as tools for fostering connection, awareness, and conservation.

















