Discover
APIS TEAM
Wakan Tanka Films is an audiovisual production company founded in May 2022 by three creative entrepreneurs with complementary expertise:
- Éric Tourneret, director and photographer internationally recognized as the bee photographer
- Jean-François Didelot, producer and entrepreneur
- Christophe Courau, former journalist and company director.
The company was born to carry an ambitious and unique project: APIS, an immersive film dedicated to the world of bees. Imagined in 2018 by Éric Tourneret, the screenplay is based on more than twenty years of fieldwork and visual exploration of the world of bees.
That same year, Éric made pioneering shootings on swarm and natural hives in tree trunks for the documentary series Possible Worlds (FOX / National Geographic / Netflix, broadcast in 171 countries). From 2020, he deepens and perfects new filming techniques—cameras, lighting, machinery, macro-cinematography—specifically developed for APIS. He also collaborates on the film VIVANT by Yann Arthus-Bertrand and several productions for Guerlain.
With the creation of Wakan Tanka Films, APIS changes its scale. The company invests in a complete filming infrastructure: a shooting studio, about twenty dedicated hives, an exclusive filming site and a high-end technology park (RED cameras, cranes, sliders, tracking shots, drones, 8-meter filming platform). This unique combination produces an immersive cinematic image, never seen before in the world of bees, based on the scientific, visual and narrative expertise of Éric Tourneret.
Jean-François Didelot brings to Wakan Tanka Films his industrial and creative know-how. DOP, Director and producer, founder of Victorimage, he has produced numerous award-winning documentaries for TV as well as the feature film « Sur le fil de Darwin (2013). As a specialist in complex filming (aerial, underwater, extreme environments) and streaming, he structures the production of APIS according to the most demanding industry standards. He has been collaborating with Éric Tourneret since 2010, notably on the documentary series project for Canal+, Peuples des abeilles (3 x 52′), dedicated to the diversity of relations between humans and bees around the world.
Christophe Courau, Éric Tourneret’s historical partner since 1995, brings also editorial and entrepreneurial expertise. After managing numerous projects for magazines and publishing, he is now in charge of the financial, legal and strategic management of Wakan Tanka Films.
Éric Tourneret: A Visual Sentinel for the Natural World
Born in 1965 in Annecy, France, and based in the Ardèche, Éric Tourneret is an internationally acclaimed photographer and filmmaker whose work explores the profound, symbiotic relationship between humanity and the natural world. Over the past 25 years, he has elevated environmental photography into a distinct art form, masterfully blending artistic sensitivity, technical precision, and ecological advocacy. His work—at the crossroads of fine art and documentary—captures the fragile beauty of life while acting as a compelling call to action for our planet’s future.
A Career of Global Commitment
Since 1989, Tourneret has traveled the globe as an independent photojournalist, collaborating with the world’s most prestigious media outlets. In 2004, driven by an urgent awareness of the global bee decline, he shifted his focus to these essential pollinators. What began as a single reportage evolved into a fifteen-year, self-funded global odyssey across 23 countries. By maintaining his independence, he ensured the artistic and scientific integrity of this body of work, which reveals both traditional and modern apicultural practices and underscores the vital role bees play in global biodiversity.
His work is a fixture in the world’s top-tier press, including Le Figaro Magazine, Paris Match, VSD, and Point de Vue… in France, as well as international publications such as GEO, Focus, National Geographic Traveller, Rhythms Monthly,and BBC Wildlife Magazine…
Authoritative Publications
Tourneret’s photographic legacy is anchored in a series of definitive books that serve as global references:- Le Peuple des Abeilles (2007) and Cueilleurs de miel (2009) launched his immersive editorial journey, documenting ancient beekeeping traditions from Nepal to Russia.
- Les Routes du Miel (2015), with over 25,000 copies sold in France, earned him international acclaim for its deep exploration of the human-bee connection.
- Le Génie des Abeilles (2017) demonstrated his mastery of macro-photography, unveiling the breathtaking collective intelligence of bee colonies.
- His works have been translated and published internationally, notably in the United States (Honey from the Earth, 2019; The Beeing, 2021—Deep Snow Press) and in Germany (Die Wege des Honigs, 2018; Das Genie der Honigbienen, 2019—Ulmer Verlag).
Art as a Catalyst for Change
Tourneret’s influence extends into the public sphere through monumental, site-specific exhibitions. His 2015 exhibition on the gates of the Jardin du Luxembourg during the COP21 summit marked a turning point, attracting millions of visitors and cementing his ability to engage the public on environmental issues. He has since brought his work to the UN Palais des Nations in Geneva, the Natural History Museum of Le Havre, and numerous botanical gardens worldwide. An indefatigable speaker, he has delivered over 150 conferences across Europe, Australia, and at the CNRS in Paris, bridging the gap between scientific knowledge and public awareness.The Photographer-Sentinel
Éric Tourneret is more than an artist; he is a dedicated witness. He holds the firm conviction that revealing the beauty, intelligence, and fragility of nature is the first step toward its protection. Whether through the printed page or the immersive screen, he continues to build a vital visual and scientific legacy—transforming each image into a universal message regarding our collective responsibility toward the living world.
