Roman Willi is an award-winning wildlife filmmaker and photographer from Lucerne, Switzerland. He holds a Bachelor of Science (FHGR & BFH) in Media Engineering, specializing in film and animation.
Before becoming self-employed in 2022 and establishing WildReach Productions in early 2024, he spent several years working in television. Today, he develops independent wildlife documentaries and photography projects while collaborating with NGOs and production companies worldwide. He also hosts exhibitions, delivers talks, and leads workshops, sharing his expertise and passion for natural history and conservation storytelling.
His wildlife photography has earned international acclaim, with multiple awards, including two Highly Commended honors at the prestigious Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition. His work has been featured on National Geographic and BBC. He is a member of the International League Of Conservation Photographers.
His debut documentary, KALU: Growing Up Wild (2023), was followed by Sandcastle: The Secret Life of Potter Wasps (2024), Heart of the Osa (2024) and The Leap Beneath (2025), all of which have received recognition at film festivals worldwide. Risky Routes (2025), a short film he worked on as the director of photography, won the Grand Prize at Bloomberg Green Docs 2025 as well as Best Short at European Wildlife Film Awards 2026. He recently completed Komarnica: The Wild That Remains (2026), a film about a canyon in Montenegro threatened by hydropower development as part of a campaign by Euronatur and Save The Blue Heart Of Europe. WildReach Production's first feature documentary Hillswick: Beyond The Tides (2025) was aquired by Arte and will be broadcast in 2026.
Currently, Roman is working as a cinematographer on several feature documentaries for broadcast, further solidifying his reputation as a leading voice in wildlife storytelling. More of his work can be seen on his website.
