Chris Johns made some of the the most recognizable pictures of our time. He's the only field photographer to rise through the ranks of National Geographic to become Editor-In-Chief, heading the world's most iconic magazine during a period of industry disruption, digital transformation and ecological crises. After spending a career as a journalist walking the tightrope between worry and wonder, he's now being shadowed by a visual artist with her own distinct ethos. His daughter Louise Johns, who picked up a camera as a child during her father's last field assignment, is shaping her own photography vision one image at a time.
The Wonder and the Worry is a documentary feature film about two amazing careers, a lyrical exploration of family and, the craft of photography and the power of journalism to effect change. It is also the story of the transformation of the most influential institutions in publishing, the National Geographic Magazine, which has long celebrated a natural world now perched on the edge of irreversible global change. This is a story of the soul of journalism and of the achingly beautiful planet balanced precariously close to the edge of devastation.
The world premiere was as the closing night feature at the Big Sky Documentary Film Festival in February.
Our Oregon premiere was at the PRAx in Corvallis, April 17-18.
Media Coverage
- "THE WONDER AND THE WORRY: A Chronicle of Journalism’s Evolution" - Film Daily - 2/9/24
- Trail 103.3 Radio Interview - 2/20/24
- "Interview with Ex Nat Geo editor Chris Johns on his film 'The Wonder and the Worry' premiering at BSDFF" - News Press Now - 2/24/24
- "Big Sky Doc Fest: New Film Ponders Changes in Journalism" - Missoulian - 2/24/24
- "Ex NatGeo Editor in Chief looks at 'The Wonder and the Worry' in the world around us at Big Sky Film Fest" - ABC/Fox Montana - 2/25/24
- "Environmental Film Festival Is in its 18th Year at Library" - Town Topics, Princeton, NJ - 3/27/24
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"The Wonder And The Worry: the life of a famous Oregon photojournalist" - KLCC Radio, Eugene Oregon - 4/1/24
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"OSU film shines light on former National Geographic editor" - Albany Democrat-Herald - 4/4/24
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"Navigating Worry to Find Wonder: A Journey Through Montana's Landscape of Hope" - The Influential - 4/10/24
Screenings
- February 25, 2024 - Missoula, MT - Big Sky Documentary Film Festival
- April 7, 2024 - Princeton, NJ - Princeton Environmental Film Festival
- April 17, 2024 - Corvallis, OR - PRAx
- April 18, 2024 - Corvallis, OR - PRAx
- July 31, 2024 - Woods Hole, MA - Woods Hole Film Festival
- August 3, 2024 - Issaquah, WA - Issaqua Film Festival
- October, 2024 - Pebble Beach, CA - Carmel International Film Festival
- October, 2024 - Tryon, NC - Tryon International Film Festival
- October, 2024 - Bend, OR - Bend Film
- October, 2024 - Newport Beach, CA - Newport Beach Film Festival