LIKE EXPLORING A NEW PLANET
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NEXT CINEMA LOCATION:
GENESIS CINEMA, APRIL 24 7PM. Mile End, Whitechapel, London E1 Tickets: genesiscinema.co.uk Go to QUICK BOOK top of page. PESENTED IN FULL 4K SCREEN, DOLBY 5.1 SURROUND SOUND. London’s Last Wilderness is the visual experience of an explorer landing on an undiscovered planet.
Every shot in the film was captured using truthful documentary techniques—no retakes, no setups. What you see happened once, and only once. Like the first European explorers in the Amazon or astronauts orbiting the moon, there was no time for rehearsals or scripted reflections. The camera moved with the explorer—fast, focused, in the moment. A mere 30 miles crow's flight from Piccadilly Circus lies a place London largely ignores: the Greater Thames Estuary. It's an ecological and cosmological force hiding in plain sight. One of its secrets is scale. The estuary rivals London in size. To truly cover it, you need years — exploring north and south banks. From land, sea and sky. Beyond the Thames estuary coastline lies a maze of creeks and shifting islands, shaped by rivers and tides that change everything, twice a day. Half the terrain vanishes and reappears with North Sea waters No two days are the same. No tide repeats. To be honest with this place, you have to film it all. Across four seasons, in all weather conditions, under every tidal level. Nothing could be skipped. Nothing faked. Joseph Conrad, JMW Turner, John Constable, HG Wells all lived and created their art in and around the Greater Thames Estuary. We filmed many of the locations that inspired their words or their paintings. The locations are all still there and look exactly the same. The film has no presenters. This is not exactly a human story. EARLY COMMENTS • "I absolutely love this film" Mensun Bound, explorer, discoverer of Shackleton's Endurance wreck in Antarctic waters. • "I am stunned" Eric Doctorow, CEO Random Media. • "It is beautiful as it is terrifying" Jonathan Kempster, radio journalist.. • "A cinematic Heart of Darkness" Kevin Rushby, travel writer for The Guardian. • "Stunning documentary, visually breathtaking" Thames21 • "Fabulous. An epic achievement" Bob Parks, artist. • "This film looks amazing" Paul Street, filmmaker. THE FILM IN NUMBERS Duration: 60'. Preparation, filming and postproduction time: 4 years. Crew and support personnel in total: 40. Number of vessels involved in the filming: 8. Note (1) only five shots out of approximately 1200 were slightly modified for artistic purposes. 
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From land, sea 
Towards Redsands
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↓ Trailer, 1'30" ↓
From the water itself. ”
It is not enough to explore the Greater Thames Estuary from the land. To understand how the river and the sea interact with each other you need to go on the surface of the water and live and film from it for a period of time. You need to understand what rules the water..
But what you can see from the sea level is also limited. You need to go up into the sky and also film from above.
But what you can see from the sea level is also limited. You need to go up into the sky and also film from above.
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The Last Wilderness of London: A Shamanic Journey into the Greater Thames Estuary
Pablo Behrens, director and producer, once navigated the wild waters of the Amazon and Orinoco rivers. That experience sparked a question: could the Thames river (known through the ages for its bucolic elegance or bustling urbanity) have a wild side too? PABLO BEHRENS ON LONDON'S LAST WILDERNESS “I wanted to find out if the Thames had a wild profile somewhere,” says Behrens. “We all know the 'civilised' side. But does it still have the same mojo as the mighty Amazon?” For Behrens, a wild river isn’t just scenic. - it dominates its surroundings, sets the rules and reminds humans who's in charge. That’s what he went looking for in the Greater Thames Estuary. “If London's Last Wilderness had just recorded the landscape, it would’ve failed,” he says. “I had to take the viewer into a world unlike any other stretch of the Thames.” Behrens set out to capture what most cameras can’t: the river’s raw, unpredictable essence. That meant tracking tides, chasing storms and filming through sun and squall alike. The team documented named storms like Franklin, Noa, and Ciara from multiple sites, each offering a glimpse into the river’s shifting moods. Unfortunately it also documented what really threatens the region's rivers: humans. “The biggest challenge was exploring every creek, mudflat and edge of the estuary,” he explains. “It took time. Not everything made it into the film—some shots were incredibly hard to get, but didn’t make the cut.” The real goal was to reveal what Behrens calls the “shamanic essence” of the estuary. Joseph Conrad came closest to capturing it in words. We use some of his text in the film. But even then, there were days I came back with nothing to show for it.” The turning point came when he realized he wasn’t just filming a river. “I had to discover a new world. A new planet. That was my eureka moment.” The result is a wake-up call—not just for the region, but for any place where nature is under siege. “I’ve seen many great documentaries,” says Behrens, “but they stop short of the edge. I wanted to go beyond.” Beneath the surface of the estuary lies a different Thames; unpredictable, dangerous and steeped in history. Over 700 shipwrecks rest in its sandbars and mudflats. The civilised facade hides a wild, impenetrable core. Even now, it resists roads and bridges. The sea still rules here. Storms and rising tides don’t accept human standards. They strike back with little warning. THE THREATS But all that could change. As residential and industrial development push outward, the estuary’s fragile edges face new threats. Uncontrolled sewage discharges from cities and towns threatens fauna and humans alike. The region is the gateway of goods to London from all over the world. like in the past. The estuary is still a lifeline for sailors, stevedores and dockers now of a different kind. This isn’t about halting progress or freezing ports. There are still huge ones here like DP World, Tilbury, Sheerness and Felixstowe. It’s about balance. It’s about protecting" what Behrens calls “the last wilderness of London” before it’s too late. We are lucky, Despite everything, the Greater Thames Estuary is still a place of rare ecological beauty. Action time is now. The viewer 
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Stangate Creek
The lead sailboat at Queenborough Harbour
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Joseph Conrad, JMW Turner, John Constable, HG Wells all lived and created their art in and around the Greater Thames Estuary. We filmed many of the locations that inspired their words or their paintings. They are all still there. They are difficult to find and on many of them you have to be on a boat, at the right time of day with the right tidal and weather conditions.
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Schedule of filming, research and geographical targets.
Film duration: 60'. Preproduction: 2019. Principal photography began in September of this year for a month. During 2020 and 2021 production stopped due to pandemic. Filming continued 2022, 2023, 2024 and part of 2025. Postproduction: 2025. Current state: Film was completed in December 2025 and is available for distribution. It will hit UK screens in April via Miracle Communications and will be available on Internet platforms via Random Media in from May 2026. Technical Specs: On cinema screens it will be available on full 4K definition and Dolby 5.1 surround. Visuals. A creative approach to the Greater Thames Estuary. The issues:
Areas of interest. Inner and outer Thames Estuary north and south Greater Estuary, • Rivers Medway, Crouch, Roach, Blackwater; The Swale canal; • Islands of Canvey, Grain, Sheppey, Foulness, Mersea; • Creeks of Benfleet, Yantley, Hadleigh, Leigh, Havengore, Queenborough, • Ports of Sheerness, DP World (Gateway), Old Victoria. • Regions of Whitstable, Tankerton, Burnham-on-Crouch, Faversham, Sheerness, Queenborogh, Gillingham, Southend-on-Sea, Tollesbury, Paglesham. • Forts of Hadleigh, Darnell, Maunsell and Tilbury. • The Thames River in the Greater Thames Estuary and in London. All in an exhilarating one hour programme of exploration and discovery from land, sea and sky probably never produced before for one film. We hope we did this outstanding region justice. |
Immersing the viewer into an emotional connection with the natural elements” 
The Greater Thames Estuary is the size of |
Like exploring an undiscovered planet”
Havengore Creek
A sudden ten meter drop in depth during a spring tide can surprise you.
Thames Estuary towards North Sea
LONDON'S LAST WILDERNESS
Director and Producer
PABLO BEHRENS
Associate Producer
ALEX OCHMAN
Executive Producer
PHILIP REID
Executive Producers
EMILIO ORIBE - EDUARDO COMAS
JAIME FERRER - ULISES SABATO
Photography
PABLO BEHRENS
Script
PABLO BEHRENS
Additional Photography
ALEX OCHMAN
MATT CHAPMAN
Sound Design
MAX BEHRENS - BRENDAN FEENEY
Editors
PABLO BEHRENS
ALEX OCHMAN
Music Composer
BARTOSZ SZPAK
Titles Composer
MS KUMAR
VHF Radio Narration
MARCUS DARIVAS, Cosmonaut
ANASTASIA PILLAR, Ground Control
Drone Operators
LAURENCE HILLS
CALO BEHRENS
PABLO BEHRENS
Second Unit
ALEX OCHMAN
MIKI ABT
Visual Effects
TOMMY ROSENBLATT
FEDE BEHRENS
Skippers
IAN POLLARD - Silver Dollar
GREG PENOYRE - Snow Goose
IAN JAMES - Saremni
ANGUS BROWNE - Star Fish
MARK THE GARDNER - Hovercraft
BEN LUDFORD - Etoile de Paris
ALEX OCHMAN - Genevieve
PABLO BEHRENS - Kitty Bird
Script Consultant
TREVOR MELVIN
Sailing Consultant
IAN POLLARD
Support Crew
SAM TURNELL, shipmate
PAULINE STANHAM, research
ANASTASIA PILLAR, graphics
FEDE BEHRENS, navigation equipment
MARCUS DARIVAS, production assistant
NICOLAS PIZZINI, lead sailboat preparation
SPONSOR
Elliott Berry
Marsurv Marine Surveys
WITH THANKS
Amani Naftali - Juan Jose Roca - Hector Tosar
Raul Demaria - Luis Viana - Pilla Queralto
John Schandy - Guillermo Mera
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PRODUCTION COMPANY
Burning Films Ltd
9 Upstall Street
London SE5 9JE
[email protected]
DISTRIBUTORS
Miracle Communications (UK)
Random Media (US)
Director and producer:
Pablo Behrens.
Pablo Behrens.
,Pablo Behrens has travelled widely in Europe, Africa and the Americas observing ecological issues and their impact on society and the land.
While working in the film industry as producer Pablo navigated the Amazon and Orinoco rivers in South America and filmed in the Sahara Desert in Africa. He also covered every main region in the UK from Cornwall to Scotland. This allowed him to compare extreme environments and the impact of man on them.
Pablo has explored many locations for films and commercials, including in South Africa Argentina, United States, Dominican Republic, Cuba, Uruguay, Brazil, Venezuela, Tunisia, Cyprus, Germany, United Kingdom France, Italy, Portugal, Russia, Ukraine and Spain.
Pablo also navigated the wild rivers of Queguay, Yi and Negro in Uruguay. Over the years he acquired firsthand knowledge of wild rivers and urban rivers in many countries. In 2019 Pablo decided to put that knowledge to good use in the film London's Last Wilderness. His first action was to purchase a sailboat for £1 called Genevieve, It needed a new keel, otherwise it was seaworthy. He later changed that boat for a 29-footer for extra sleeping quarters and equipment.
In films, Pablo wrote, directed and co-produced the film Adrift in Soho released in 2019, now available on Amazon Prime, iTunes, Google Plus, Microsoft Movies and DVD, distributed by Los Angeles company Random Media - Note: availability of the film on streamline platforms vary. The film is currently available to rent on Amazon Prime and YouTube.
Pablo has worked in different capacities with directors Hector Babenco, Charles Sturridge, Leo Ricagni and Paul Street, as well as with photographers Annie Leibovitz, Nadav Kander and Eve Arnold. Pablo also produced the Argentina-Uruguay film El Chevrole and as producer and other capacities in more than 100 commercials and pop promos.
While working in the film industry as producer Pablo navigated the Amazon and Orinoco rivers in South America and filmed in the Sahara Desert in Africa. He also covered every main region in the UK from Cornwall to Scotland. This allowed him to compare extreme environments and the impact of man on them.
Pablo has explored many locations for films and commercials, including in South Africa Argentina, United States, Dominican Republic, Cuba, Uruguay, Brazil, Venezuela, Tunisia, Cyprus, Germany, United Kingdom France, Italy, Portugal, Russia, Ukraine and Spain.
Pablo also navigated the wild rivers of Queguay, Yi and Negro in Uruguay. Over the years he acquired firsthand knowledge of wild rivers and urban rivers in many countries. In 2019 Pablo decided to put that knowledge to good use in the film London's Last Wilderness. His first action was to purchase a sailboat for £1 called Genevieve, It needed a new keel, otherwise it was seaworthy. He later changed that boat for a 29-footer for extra sleeping quarters and equipment.
In films, Pablo wrote, directed and co-produced the film Adrift in Soho released in 2019, now available on Amazon Prime, iTunes, Google Plus, Microsoft Movies and DVD, distributed by Los Angeles company Random Media - Note: availability of the film on streamline platforms vary. The film is currently available to rent on Amazon Prime and YouTube.
Pablo has worked in different capacities with directors Hector Babenco, Charles Sturridge, Leo Ricagni and Paul Street, as well as with photographers Annie Leibovitz, Nadav Kander and Eve Arnold. Pablo also produced the Argentina-Uruguay film El Chevrole and as producer and other capacities in more than 100 commercials and pop promos.
Associate producer:
Alex Ochman
Alex Ochman
Alex Ochman is a Mancunian filmmaker who graduated with an MA from the Northern Film School in Leeds in 2017. Since then he has worked on a range of film and documentary projects including documentaries with National Geographic and feature films spanning various countries.
Alex has been involved with the documentary London's Last Wilderness since 2019.
Later he directed and scripted his first medium length film 'Native Speaker' which received several nominations including Madrid Indie Film Festival, Lift Off Global Network, Rome Indie Prisma Awards, LA Shorts and many others..
Most recently he worked as an Associate Producer on American WW2 feature “Triumph of The Heart” which will be shown in cinemas Autumn 2025.
ALEX ON FILMING 'LONDON'S LAST WILDERNESS.'
"It all started with a phone call from London. Pablo Behrens had contacted me with a new project. We had worked together on his previous film Adrift In Soho but this project was different. It was going to take me from land to water," remembers Alex. "To begin with I was a bit apprehensive. Filming, sailing, navigating is quite a challenge and I had never been to the Thames Estuary before."
"I had barely arrived from Poland and the next morning at 5am we were on the boat departing from Gillingham Marina down the Medway river towards the estuary. The Medway is like an industrial cemetery, in a way. It has disused cranes and wrecks of all shorts that lurk beneath the water. It's a mysterious place, especially at the crack of dawn."
"Not only do you have to watch the powerful tides but you also have to navigate carefully through waters frequented by fast, imposing oil tankers and cargo ships. It’s dangerous place and you have to keep your wits about you. The waves can get bigger in the estuary and close to Leigh-on-Sea we got caught by a squall that came from nowhere. On top of the forces of wind and water, we had to watch for sandbanks lurking beneath the water. Yes, we did run aground just outside Leigh Creek."
"Returning to Gillingham from Leigh-on-Sea was an unpredictable, fantastic experience. We came as close as possible to nature. We had to wake up early just before sunrise to catch the tide. The golden glow that accompanied our exit from port was a uniquely memorable one and it made it to the Final Cut of the film. The waters were still, and the sea and sky almost merged into one. Our engine cut through the stillness and let us loose into the estuary again."
"The crossing was smooth to begin with but on the Medway all hell broke loose. We had to sail back up the Medway with a powerful 6 meter tide behinds us, against near gale force winds in front."
"We had to plough through forces of nature full throttle. We made it back to Gillingham Marina in the end. The dock controller couldn't believe we were out there battling the elements. He opened the dock gates and our sailboat Genevieve was back at home port. I had to shoot off immediately to catch the plane back to Poland the same day."
Alex has been involved with the documentary London's Last Wilderness since 2019.
Later he directed and scripted his first medium length film 'Native Speaker' which received several nominations including Madrid Indie Film Festival, Lift Off Global Network, Rome Indie Prisma Awards, LA Shorts and many others..
Most recently he worked as an Associate Producer on American WW2 feature “Triumph of The Heart” which will be shown in cinemas Autumn 2025.
ALEX ON FILMING 'LONDON'S LAST WILDERNESS.'
"It all started with a phone call from London. Pablo Behrens had contacted me with a new project. We had worked together on his previous film Adrift In Soho but this project was different. It was going to take me from land to water," remembers Alex. "To begin with I was a bit apprehensive. Filming, sailing, navigating is quite a challenge and I had never been to the Thames Estuary before."
"I had barely arrived from Poland and the next morning at 5am we were on the boat departing from Gillingham Marina down the Medway river towards the estuary. The Medway is like an industrial cemetery, in a way. It has disused cranes and wrecks of all shorts that lurk beneath the water. It's a mysterious place, especially at the crack of dawn."
"Not only do you have to watch the powerful tides but you also have to navigate carefully through waters frequented by fast, imposing oil tankers and cargo ships. It’s dangerous place and you have to keep your wits about you. The waves can get bigger in the estuary and close to Leigh-on-Sea we got caught by a squall that came from nowhere. On top of the forces of wind and water, we had to watch for sandbanks lurking beneath the water. Yes, we did run aground just outside Leigh Creek."
"Returning to Gillingham from Leigh-on-Sea was an unpredictable, fantastic experience. We came as close as possible to nature. We had to wake up early just before sunrise to catch the tide. The golden glow that accompanied our exit from port was a uniquely memorable one and it made it to the Final Cut of the film. The waters were still, and the sea and sky almost merged into one. Our engine cut through the stillness and let us loose into the estuary again."
"The crossing was smooth to begin with but on the Medway all hell broke loose. We had to sail back up the Medway with a powerful 6 meter tide behinds us, against near gale force winds in front."
"We had to plough through forces of nature full throttle. We made it back to Gillingham Marina in the end. The dock controller couldn't believe we were out there battling the elements. He opened the dock gates and our sailboat Genevieve was back at home port. I had to shoot off immediately to catch the plane back to Poland the same day."
All photos and content by Pablo Behrens. All rights reserved. Copyright 2025
JURISDICTION OF LONDON
London's Last Wilderness is an ecological film in which nature takes precedence over human habitation perhaps for the first time ever in the region.
However, the title of our film comes from the fact that for much of the last few centuries the City of London had exclusive fishing rights over the river Thames' waters all the way to the Western border of the Thames Estuary. The limit to their jurisdiction was marked by a straight line between the Crow Stone in Essex (north of the Thames Estuary) and the Yantlet Stone placed at the mouth of Yantlet Creek, Isle of Grain, Kent (south of the Thames Estuary).
In 1909 the rights passed to the Port of London Authority which now has jurisdiction over the Thames river from the Teddington Lock to the North Sea including the estuary. The first stones marking the jurisdiction of the City of London go back to 1197 when the City of London bought the rights from the Crown. The marking stones we see today go back to 1755 and later replacements to 1837. The stones today are kept in place for historical purposes only.
However, the title of our film comes from the fact that for much of the last few centuries the City of London had exclusive fishing rights over the river Thames' waters all the way to the Western border of the Thames Estuary. The limit to their jurisdiction was marked by a straight line between the Crow Stone in Essex (north of the Thames Estuary) and the Yantlet Stone placed at the mouth of Yantlet Creek, Isle of Grain, Kent (south of the Thames Estuary).
In 1909 the rights passed to the Port of London Authority which now has jurisdiction over the Thames river from the Teddington Lock to the North Sea including the estuary. The first stones marking the jurisdiction of the City of London go back to 1197 when the City of London bought the rights from the Crown. The marking stones we see today go back to 1755 and later replacements to 1837. The stones today are kept in place for historical purposes only.
Where vessels come to wreck.
FROM THE LOGBOOK
In hindsight, we can laugh. But it was no laughing matter at the time. During the production of London's Last Wilderness we ran aground once in the Thames Estuary at the entrance of Leigh Creek. We were rescued by Chris from Leigh Marina. • On one of our first navigational experiences in the region and due to powerful currents we nearly hit a giant traffic buoy in the middle of the Medway river. It could've ended the entire expedition just as it started. • We got caught twice by sudden storms. You want to smell danger but you don't want to taste it. We came close to the latter. • Getting to know the local rivers takes time. We got caught in the current of a massive spring tide which made us navigate in dangerous out of our control circles. State-of-the-art instruments did not help us out. A giant eddy produced by a short but deep creek accelerated the power of the prevailing current and totally dominated our engine.. Some currents are invisible. •
A cargo ship passed on the wrong side of the traffic buoy as we were waiting to cross the traffic separation lines from what we thought was a safe position (see video) • Six-meter tides impose severe time restrictions on navigation. At one point we lost our way and pursued the wrong coastal feature: an anti-submarine boom instead of the Southend-on-Sea pier! Seems crazy but the mind can play tricks on you. We lost 40' and we just made it to the marina as it was emptying of water. • The river's Catch 22. Never totally rely of GPS equipment as it can fail or give you the wrong information. Use eyeball navigation. But again, don't totally rely on your eyeballs as your mind can deceive you. Navigation can confuse you in the most unexpected ways. • Don't fight the tide. It will beat you. Avoid tide against wind, it will make your life a misery. If it doesn't sink your boat • The effect of fog is well documented in our film. Fog can close in rapidly and catch you unprepared. During our filming a fishing party lost their way in the thickest of fogs in the narrow Swale canal one early morning. With cargo traffic always in the vicinity losing your way in the fog can be very dangerous. 
...just arrived and 10 minutes later...
DANGERS - NAVIGATION
It is much more difficult to navigate the Thames Estuary than the open sea. The big difference are the tidal currents in both directions every six hours and the meandering canals between mudflats and sandbars. You can't go straight if you want to get home. DANGERS - TIDES Some tides can be fun, others can be lethal. Two day-to-day tides are never the same. Some experienced sailors have ran aground at precisely the highest tide of the year. This could mean your boat getting caught for six months, sometimes forever. A miscalculation of the location and the depth could be enough to lose a vessel. DANGERS - CURRENTS If you fall overboard, by the time the emergency services arrive you could be several miles from the original location and you may never be found. • Thank God for engines. Before them sailboats depended entirely on the wind to get around. A sudden change in wind direction coupled with the wrong current could end you in a grounding and the loss of a vessel. • There are 700 documented wrecks in the main body of the estuary. GPS and engines have made life much easier when dealing with currents, day and night. • If a top tidal current is against you, your boat will not move or will go backwards even at full speed. The current can be 6 knots or more in some places. 
Uncontrolled human detritus is the greatest danger." DANGERS - TRAFFIC
Large cargo ships travel at breakneck speed down the Thames Estuary and Medway River. They easily do 6-7 knots and weigh on average 150,000 tons - your vessel is about 7,000 tons. Cargo ships will stop at nothing. They have the right of way and you better get out of the way. DANGERS - POLLUTION The Thames Estuary tributaries including the Thames, Medway, Crouch and Benfleet are in a sorry state when it comes to toxicity. Officially, no river in UK is suitable for humans. Swimming is not recommended in rivers. In some places it's forbidden due to health reasons. The estuary provides a respite when the tide is in with water from the North Sea but caution is advised. DANGERS - MUDFLATS Some mudlfats are very loose and you might end up up to your waist if you fall into it. Then the incoming tide will finish the job. DANGERS - EXPLOSIVES Mentioned in the movie is the legendary wreck of the USS Richard Montgomery. Hit a sandbar in 1944 and broke up carrying thousands of tons of explosives. It still has 1,400 tons of TNT and 14,500 individual bombs. It could go off at any moment and create a devastating tsunami 10 meters high. 
River and sea pollution are the biggest danger.
The Thames at the Tate Modern.
In 2019 Pablo Behrens and Alex Ochman made a three-day exploration trip of the Thames Estuary The result was a short film called The Crossing which became the inspiration for the current feature length documentary London's Last Wilderness. His previous film Adrift In Soho received many awards, also listed here.
'LONDON'S LAST WILDERNESS' IS NOT CURRENTLY BEING PRESENTED TO FESTIVALS.
PABLO BEHRENS AWARDS FOR 'THE CROSSING'
OTHER FILMS
ALEX OCHMAN'S AWARDS AND NOMINATIONS
FOR 'NATIVE SPEAKER' Follow us for weekly news
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All pictures ©2025 Burning Films Ltd and Pablo Behrens unless otherwise stated.