The film, produced by the All-Russia State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company (VGTRK), premiered at the cinema and concert hall of the Central House of Artists in Moscow as part of the Russian Geographical Society festival.

“The Far Eastern Leopard: Battle for the Taiga Throne” is the first full-length documentary film about the rarest cat in the world. It was filmed over the course of more than a year in Land of the Leopard National Park in the Primorye Territory with contribution from the autonomous non-profit organisation Far Eastern Leopards. During this time, film crews from the Moya Planeta (My Planet) TV channel captured the world’s rarest and most cautious cat on video.

“To us, this was the most difficult film in the channel’s five-year history,” said Nikolai Tabashnikov, editor in chief of Moya Planeta. “However, we’ve made it, and, of course we’re pleased, and we hope that viewers will like our film.”

The story is built around a female Far Eastern leopard called Kedrovka, and her three cubs. The film provides a glimpse into the animal’s habits, interrelations within the feline family and turf battles.

State-of-the-art technology and hidden cameras were used to shoot the film. The key condition in making the film was to ensure that the animals remained calm. The crew took extra care not to frighten them away from their habitat.