Ohio’s Natural Wonders Star in “Ohio: Wild at Heart”
Narrated by Ohio Legend Archie Griffin
Laguna Beach, CA, October 9, 2025 – From soaring bald eagles to fireflies lighting up the night sky, MacGillivray Freeman’s latest giant screen film, Ohio: Wild at Heart, showcases the wild beauty of the Buckeye State in a trailblazing adventure across the state’s stunning parks and waterways, narrated by Ohio football legend Archie Griffin. The film premieres this week at Cincinnati Museum Center and Imagination Station in Toledo and will open in select theaters across Ohio starting October 10.
Produced in partnership with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), Ohio: Wild at Heart is the story of Ohio’s great outdoors and successful conservation efforts to restore its natural wonders. Audiences will meet everyday Ohioans working to return these wild places to their natural state— from wildlife rehabilitators preparing orphaned bobcats for release to the wild, to scientists charting the triumphant comeback of bald eagles and trumpeter swans, and volunteers turning once-polluted rivers into destinations for recreation enthusiasts and wild animals. Watch the trailer.
“Bringing Ohio’s great outdoors to the big screen is a great way to showcase why Ohio truly is the Heart of it All,” said Ohio Governor Mike DeWine. “We hope Ohioans go to the movies and experience the natural beauty and wonder of our state in a whole new way.”
“Ohio is a place of incredible natural beauty, and we are thrilled to bring its story of renewal to the giant screen,” said the film’s producer and director, Shaun MacGillivray. “Ohioans share a deep passion for nature, and our hope is that the film inspires people everywhere to go outside and rediscover the magic waiting just beyond their doorstep.”
Ohio: Wild at Heart showcases Ohio’s natural treasures with spectacular aerial cinematography, highlighting such landmarks as the sandstone cliffs of Hocking Hills, the sparkling shores of Lake Erie and the winding pathways of the Buckeye Trail. Viewers will also experience what it’s like to paddle down the Ohio River, go mountain biking in Mohican State Park, dog sledding in Punderson State Park, and gazing at fireflies at the Edge of Appalachia Preserve.
“Ohio is the heart of it all, full of captivating stories of exploration and quiet moments of tranquility, it can all be found amongst the state’s natural beauty,” said ODNR Director Mary Mertz. “Ohio: Wild at Heart is our love letter to the mission of protecting our natural resources and we are excited to share it with the world.”
MFF has a successful track record of bringing the beauty of America’s natural wild places to the giant screen with such blockbuster films as National Parks Adventure and Into America’s Wild. With Ohio: Wild at Heart, MFF focuses its lens on America’s heartland.
“Ohio: Wild at Heart” is 45 minutes and is available in 2D in multiple giant-screen formats including IMAX Digital and IMAX Laser. A 25-minute version is also available.
About MacGillivray Freeman Films
Based in Laguna Beach, California, MacGillivray Freeman Films is the world’s foremost independent producer and distributor of giant screen 70mm films with nearly 50 films for IMAX® and giant screen theaters to its credit. Throughout the company’s history, its films have won numerous international awards including two Academy Award® nominations for The Living Sea and Dolphins and three films inducted into the IMAX Hall of Fame, including Everest, the highest grossing giant screen film of all time. MacGillivray Freeman’s films are known for their artistry and celebration of science and the natural world. It is the first documentary film company to reach the one-billion-dollar benchmark for worldwide box office.
About ODNR
ODNR ensures a balance between wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all. Visit the ODNR website at ohiodnr.gov.
For film inquiries, please contact:
Patty Collins, Director of Distribution, 949-309-6639, pcollins@macfreefilms.com