Early 2019, VII Academy founder Gary Knight and natural history film maker and producer Jacqueline Farmer got together and began discussing the inequities for women in media, particularly in storytelling about the natural world. They decided to create a space for women to feel uplifted in this field and gain the resources and tools they need to succeed in these challenging, often male-dominated spaces.

The first ever Nature: Through Her Eyes festival was held in October 2019, Perpignan, France.

Its goal – to celebrate and highlight women’s roles in work about nature, including writers, photographers, scientists and filmmakers, as well as camera and sound operators. The festival explored what a feminine perspective means to women in their storytelling and portrayal of the natural world and why it is important for society as a whole.