ZDF Studios has announced its acquisition of the worldwide distribution rights for Lord Howe Island – Reset of Paradise, a compelling nature documentary by award-winning filmmaker Florian Guthknecht that chronicles an extraordinary ecological comeback.
Set on a remote UNESCO World Heritage site in the Pacific Ocean, the film explores the unique biodiversity of Lord Howe Island, home to the world’s southernmost coral reef and numerous endemic species found nowhere else on Earth.
The ZDF Studios’ program’s narrative centers on a high-stakes rescue mission where residents, scientists, and park rangers joined forces to completely eradicate invasive rodents that had pushed the island’s ecosystem to the brink of collapse. Following this unprecedented three-year operation, the island witnessed a “miracle” captured on film: long-lost flora regenerated, bird populations surged, and species believed to be extinct for centuries, including the legendary “tree lobster”, suddenly reappeared.
Drawing on over twenty years of documentation by Guthknecht, the documentary offers a rare before-and-after perspective, comparing the island’s past state with its current flourishing life through state-of-the-art filming technology.
According to Nikolas Hülbusch, Director Unscripted at ZDF Studios, the project is far more than a simple nature observation; it serves as a powerful testament to humanity’s ability to restore and take responsibility for the environment. In an era of global climate and biodiversity crises, Reset of Paradise delivers a profoundly hopeful message, illustrating that nature can indeed recover when given the chance to flourish once again.
