Award-Winning Film ‘Life: The Greatest Story’ Features Durham’s Head of Philosophy

A stunning full-dome planetarium film exploring the story of life on Earth, written and produced in-house by the Life Science Centre in Newcastle, has won a prestigious international award. The film "Life: The Greatest Story" won the coveted Best Education Film Award at Dome Fest West 2026, held recently in Colorado in the United States. Dome Fest West is a key global immersive dome film festival and conference, that attracts hundreds of delegates each year.

The Life entry beat stiff competition, including the American Museum of Natural History in New York. Judges praised the film, saying it is “a remarkable achievement in immersive learning through outstanding craft, clarity and storytelling, making learning truly immersive, clear, engaging and beautifully crafted for audiences in the domes.” The 360° immersive show explores Earth’s history, from the ocean’s earliest life forms through evolution, dinosaurs and extreme landscapes, before venturing into space to examine the big question of whether life exists elsewhere in the universe.

It is narrated by actor Alex Kingston, (Doctor Who and ER), and pushes the boundaries of fulldome film production, combining 3D animation with live action filming. The show features contributions from local academic experts including Dr Jon Telling, Reader in Biogeochemistry and Dr David Rosario, Astrophysics Lecturer, both from Newcastle University; Dr Amanda Jones, Microbiologist at Northumbria University, and Professor Peter Vickers, Head of Philosophy at Durham University.