Astonish Me (2011) 

Written by Stephen Poliakoff and directed by Charles Sturridge.

Stephen Poliakoff created this magical tale of adventure and discovery in 2011 for the conservation and environmental organisation WWF-UK’s 50th anniversary.

Directed by Charles Sturridge and starring Bill Nighy and Gemma Arterton the short film tells the story of a young boy who gets locked in the Natural History Museum after closing. When a mysterious guard gives him a magical ticket that allows him to visit a restricted area of the museum, he meets a professor and a guide who show him examples of the wondrous new species of animals being discovered every year on Earth.

Astonish Me takes viewers on a journey showcasing some of the world's animals that have just been discovered, from massive insects to colossal squid, a fish with a transparent head and birds and frogs of every colour. It reminds us that there is still so much out there we don’t know about, and only by preserving nature can we guarantee more of these discoveries in the future.

Partly filmed at the Natural History Museum in London, the film was shown in cinemas across the UK before going online. It is now available to watch on The Guardian website.

Stephen Poliakoff is an ambassador for WWF-UK (wwf.org.uk).