Natalie Hewit
Joined Atlas Obscura in 2026
Natalie Hewit an award–winning film director and producer whose debut feature documentary Endurance has established her as a leading voice in cinematic storytelling. The film, which chronicles the expedition to locate Sir Ernest Shackleton’s lost ship in Antarctica, has received major international recognition, winning an Emmy, the Broadcast Digital Award for Best Documentary Programme, and Best Director – Documentary at the Gracie Awards. Premiering at the BFI London Film Festival before a UK cinema release, Endurance also brought Natalie into collaboration with Oscar-winning directors Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Vasarhelyi for National Geographic Documentary Films.
Alongside this success, Natalie has spent more than a decade directing and producing acclaimed prime-time documentaries and series for major broadcasters including the BBC, Channel 4, Netflix and National Geographic. Her work has earned widespread critical recognition, including an RTS Award for Forensics: The Real CSI, as well as BAFTA and RTS nominations for Channel 4’s Surviving Covid. She has also received Grierson and Broadcast Award nominations for The Drug Trial: Emergency at the Hospital.
Known for placing human stories at the heart of ambitious filmmaking, Natalie has worked in some of the world’s most remote and demanding environments. Her directorial debut, Antarctica: Ice Station Rescue for the BBC’s prestigious Horizon series, saw her spend three months solo filming at the Halley VI Research Station—earning a Broadcast Award nomination for Best Documentary.
Natalie is full member of BAFTA and the Directors Guild of America and has served on awards juries for both organisations. She was one of just a handful of filmmakers selected for the 8th Filmonomics lab run by Reclaim The Frame. Her films consistently receive 5-star reviews and have been described as “essential” by the Financial Times and “haunting and powerful” by The Guardian, reflecting a body of work driven by a deep curiosity about what it means to be human.
Natalie also has a strong track-record of public speaking, using her personable and engaging style to bring stories of adventure, tenacity and exploration to audiences of all ages.
