Florida State Parks Foundation and Live Wildly to present screening of Carlton Ward’s ‘Path of the Panther’ feature film at Wekiwa Springs State Park

Free screening reservations available to the public; discussion panel to follow film

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The Florida State Parks Foundation and Live Wildly today announced another free public screening of the National Geographic film “Path of the Panther,” a film by director Eric Bendick, Grizzly Creek Films and Wildpath featuring Carlton Ward Jr., to be held at Wekiwa Springs State Park in Apopka on Thursday, October 5.

The screening will begin at 6:30 p.m. and will be followed by a discussion panel featuring Carlton Ward Jr. and additional environmental experts.

This is the second in a series of “Path of the Panther” screenings hosted by the Florida State Parks Foundation and Live Wildly. The first, at Camp Helen State Park in Panama City Beach, was rescheduled for Nov. 30 due to Hurricane Idalia.

Reservations for the Wekiwa Springs State Park screening are available now. Space is limited and is expected to fill quickly, so it is recommended to reserve seats today.

“When we saw the overwhelming demand for our ‘Path of the Panther’ screening at Camp Helen State Park, we immediately knew we wanted to offer additional screenings in other regions of the state,” said Julia Gill Woodward, CEO of the Florida State Parks Foundation. “We are looking forward to sharing this one-of-a-kind experience with Carlton Ward with state parks and wildlife enthusiasts in central Florida.”

Added Lisa Shipley, CEO of Live Wildly: “We are so excited to announce another ‘Path of the Panther’ screening and panel discussion through our partnership with the Florida State Parks Foundation. The film tells a story that resonates with all Floridians, and watching it in a majestic wild setting like Wekiwa Springs State Park – one of 75 state parks within the Florida Wildlife Corridor – will make for a memorable evening.”

“This film magnificently tells the story of how Florida works to diligently manage our natural resources and create diverse habitats for wildlife,” said Chuck Hatcher, director of Florida State Parks. “We’re excited to host this screening at one of the 75 amazing state parks you can find within the Florida Wildlife Corridor.”

“Path of the Panther” is a feature-length documentary by producers Eric Bendick, Carlton Ward Jr., Thomas Winston and Tori Linder that debuted in February and is available for streaming on Disney+ and Hulu. The film details efforts to preserve habitat for the endangered Florida panther and is the result of years of research, thousands of images and hundreds of hours of camera footage.

Wekiwa Springs State Park is a 7,000-acre oasis that offers world-class swimming, paddling, hiking, camping and more just minutes from downtown Orlando.