Once a common sight in areas all around the world, tigers have unfortunately now become a first-class endangered species, with the habitats they once thrived in and the ecosystems they once dominated increasingly at risk, too.

In order to raise awareness of the pressing need to protect tigers, as well as their habitats, Samsung Electronics teamed up with Discovery and Project C.A.T. (Conserving Acres for Tigers) to produce a documentary called ‘Eye to Eye With a Tiger’ shot using the Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G.

Taking Initiative To Protect the Tiger’s Habitat

Tigers are the top predators of their food chain. They play a key role in maintaining healthy ecosystems, but due to illegal hunting and extensive habitat destruction, these majestic creatures are now being threatened with the danger of becoming extinct – a loss that stands to affect entire ecosystems.

Project C.A.T, started by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and Discovery, is an initiative that promotes the preservation of remaining tiger populations’ natural habitats. This project currently supports nearly six million acres of tiger habitat across India, Bhutan and Russia, as well as providing support to local economies and climate justice for these marginalized communities. Understanding the importance of Project C.A.T.’s mission, Samsung has joined hands with Discovery to help raise awareness of this meaningful initiative.

As part of their partnership, Samsung and Discovery worked together with passionate local filmmakers to produce the remarkable collaborative documentary ‘Eye to Eye With a Tiger’ in order to bring these astounding creatures to viewers all over the world and shine a spotlight on the work these organizations are doing.

Eye to Eye With a Tiger, Captured by the Galaxy S21 Ultra

‘Eye to Eye With a Tiger’ was shot in Jaipur, India, and throughout the course of the documentary we follow wildlife photographer Yashas Narayan as he sets out on his journey to capture the most elusive big cat on the planet – the tiger. The documentary follows Narayan as he puts his experience in tracking and photographing tigers to use with help from his Galaxy S21 Ultra as he ventures deep into the wilderness of Ranthambore National Park in order to catch sight of this elusive creature – and provide viewers with some top tips for wildlife photography along the way.

Narayan, one of India’s foremost wildlife photographers, is not only united with the documentary’s award-winning director Vikram Singh through their passion for capturing their native country’s beauty, but also in their passions for nature, conservation and connecting with people. As showcased in the documentary, the pair enthusiastically took on the challenge of tracking tigers in Ranthambore National Park – notoriously a time-extensive process – harnessing the Galaxy S21 Ultra to capture some of the other brilliant wildlife they encountered along the way.

The documentary comes to a close as the pair finally manage to encounter a wild tiger and capture it in all its glory using the Galaxy S21 Ultra, an experience that is well worth all the challenges tracking the animal bring about. As well as being a fascinating look into tigers in the wild, ‘Eye to Eye With a Tiger’ not only showcases the quality camera experiences and flexibility offered to the filmmakers by the Galaxy S21 Ultra as they went about their journey, but also the scarcity of tigers in the wild these days, and the need to protect these creatures and the habitats they occupy.

Master Shooting Like a Pro With the Galaxy S21 Ultra’s Camera

Eagle-eyed viewers will be quick to spot that, throughout the course of the documentary, Narayan’s Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G comes in extra helpful for capturing not only the beauty of the tigers the team manage to encounter, but the other wildlife they come across along the way, too.

Not only is the Galaxy S21 Ultra a smartphone capable of capturing high-quality videos, such as the ‘Eye to Eye With a Tiger’ documentary, but is also the perfect tool for capturing those special moments in everyday life – in top quality.

Take a look at some of the top tips for subject photography as showcased in the ‘Eye to Eye With a Tiger’ film below.

1. Bring Faraway Subjects Right in Front of Your Eyes: Dual-tele Zoom & Space Zoom

With the Galaxy S21 Ultra’s powerful zoom functionality, you can zoom in on your subject to get that close-up shot either 3x, 10x or even 100x,¹ meaning that you’ll never miss a detail even when capturing objects in the distance.

2. Never Miss a Moment When Recording: 8K Video Snap

Thanks to the Galaxy S21 Ultra’s 8K Video Snap feature, you can make sure that unmissable moment you’re recording is captured in both video and picture film for ultimate shareability. While recording, 8K Video Snap lets you capture the scene in front of you in both video and ultra-high-definition photo formats.

3. Adjust Every Detail Your Way: Pro Mode

The Galaxy S21 Ultra’s next-level camera comes with a function that helps even the most amateur of photographers produce high-quality shots – Pro Mode. Pro Mode lets you calibrate your camera’s shutter speed, contrast, saturation, ISO value and more manually, meaning that you can capture near-professional-level photos, all without the need for any external professional help or other equipment.

4. Capture Quality Video Like the Pros – With Just a Smartphone: Pro Video Mode

Not only does the Galaxy S21 Ultra offer a Pro Mode to those looking to capture high-quality photos, it also features the Pro Video function. Pro Video lets you adjust your camera’s resolution to a stunning 8K, as well as manage the camera’s focus to be on your desired subject when shooting and even choose which direction you are recording sound from as you go, so you can be sure that your video recording is as high-quality as Narayan’s during his journey to document the glorious tiger.

¹ 100X Space Zoom includes 10x Hybrid Optic Zoom and 100x digital zoom with AI Super Resolution technology. Zooming in past 10x may cause some image deterioration.

Samsung Electronics, Worldwide Olympic Partner in the Wireless Communications Equipment category, and Academy Award-winning filmmaker Morgan Neville (“20 Feet From Stardom,” “Best of Enemies,”) today celebrated the official premiere of “A Fighting Chance” at a private screening during the 2016 Tribeca Film Festival^® in New York City. The powerful documentary short gives an unseen perspective into the lives of four Olympic Games hopefuls from around the world as they defy barriers and persevere through challenges to achieve their dreams of competing at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

Following the film’s debut, it was announced that “A Fighting Chance” is now available for streaming to hundreds of millions of global viewers on Vimeo at www.Vimeo.com/channels/AFightingChance.

“Samsung is a company with a heritage of defying barriers. Through ‘A Fighting Chance,’ we are shining a spotlight on four athletes as they defy barriers and push the limits to achieve their dreams,” said Younghee Lee, Executive Vice President of Global Marketing, Mobile Communications Business at Samsung Electronics. “By sharing these inspiring stories, we’d like to tell the story that Samsung is not just an Olympic sponsor, but a company that is truly fueling the meaningful progress of these athletes. And by telling these authentic stories to the world, we hope to inspire and motivate people everywhere to defy their own barriers.”

“A Fighting Chance” follows the remarkable stories of four Olympic Games hopefuls from Lesotho (Tsepo Mathibelle, Marathon), Vanuatu (Miller Pata & Linline Matauatu, Beach Volleyball) and the Dominican Republic (Yenebier Guillén Benitez, Boxing, 75kg). These athletes vary by sport discipline and geography, but share a passion and unwavering determination to overcome obstacles as they strive to represent their nations on the world stage at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

The inspiring documentary is a story of courage, hope and perseverance that explores how four Olympic Games hopefuls are embracing challenges as they try to help their countries make history.

“One of the things that’s great about the Olympic Games is that it’s a place where everybody gets to share the stage, but some of these countries and athletes don’t have the proper resources and are faced with so many challenges,” said director Morgan Neville. “I’m thrilled that I got to work with Samsung on ‘A Fighting Chance,’ – it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience to meet these athletes and share their untold stories. Having spent time with them, we realize how hard they work, how big the stakes are for them, and how truly talented they are. I came out of this feeling like all of them deserve to win a Gold Medal.”

For additional information about “A Fighting Chance,” including athlete and director biographies, photos and videos, please visit www.samsungmobilepress.com/AFightingChance.

Olympic Hopefuls on Defying the Barriers

Tsepo Mathibelle (Marathon, 24 years old, Lesotho) said:

“I am proud to be a part of the Samsung ‘A Fighting Chance’ documentary short, and to show the world the spirit and will that the people of Lesotho have. Our country may be small, but we have big hearts, and I am excited to represent my family, friends and countrymen at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.”

Miller Pata & Linline Matauatu (Beach Volleyball, 27 and 25 years old, Vanuatu) said:

“Our dream is to make it to the Olympic Games, especially after all of the hard work we’ve put into this from the beginning and the challenges we still face every day. Although it is difficult for mothers in Vanuatu to play sports and spend time away from home while competing, Samsung is helping us stay connected, whether with family when we are far away or with our coach when we are in different places.”

Yenebier Guillén Benitez (Boxing, 75kg, 29 years old, Dominican Republic) said:

“I work hard to overcome my obstacles because I want to achieve my goals to be my best and to win a medal at the Olympic Games. Samsung has generously provided us with phones for keeping in touch with my family and friends, and it has helped me a lot because my family is my inspiration. I can also now track my training better and connect with my coach, using Samsung technology to review and improve my technique. These may seem like small things, but they are big to me and can make all the difference”

Viewers worldwide can now watch the entire film of “A Fighting Chance” on premium Vimeo platform and Samsung Mobile’s official YouTube channel.

Photos from Premier Event at Tribeca Film Center

Director Morgan Neville, and featured athletes Yenebier Guillen Benitez and Tsepo Mathibelle pose at “A Fighting Chance” Premier Event at Tribeca Film Center

MC Jimmy Roberts, Director Morgan Neville, and featured athletes Yenebier Guillen Benitez and Tsepo Mathibelle pose at “A Fighting Chance” Premier Event at Tribeca Film Center

Pio Shunker, SVP, presents the documentary at “A Fighting Chance” Premier Event at Tribeca Film Center

Director Morgan Neville explains the documentary at “A Fighting Chance” Premier Event at Tribeca Film Center

Panel Discussion at “A Fighting Chance” Premier Event at Tribeca Film Center

Director Morgan Neville, and featured athletes Yenebier Guillen Benitez and Tsepo Mathibelle watches VR film “Vanuatu Dreams” at “A Fighting Chance” Premier Event at Tribeca Film Center

About Morgan Neville

Morgan Neville is a documentary filmmaker whose films focus on culture. His acclaimed film 20 Feet From Stardom won the 2014 Academy Award for Best Documentary as well as a Grammy Award for Best Music Film in 2015. His documentary, Best of Enemies, was released by Magnolia Pictures and Participant Media in 2015 and was shortlisted for the 2016 Academy Award. Neville has been nominated for three additional Grammys for his films: Respect Yourself: The Stax Records Story, Muddy Waters Can’t Be Satisfied and Johnny Cash’s America and won an Emmy Award for his film Hank Williams: Honky Tonk Blues. Neville’s non-music films include The Cool School and Beauty Is Embarrassing.  Recent projects include Chelsea Does, a four-part documentary series and Keith Richards: Under the Influence. His latest film, The Music of Strangers: Yo-Yo Ma and The Silk Road Ensemble, will be released by The Orchard in June 2016.

About Samsung’s Involvement in the Olympic Games
Samsung began its Olympic Games involvement as a local sponsor of the Seoul 1988 Olympic Games. Beginning with the Nagano 1998 Olympic Winter Games, the company extended its commitment to the Olympic Movement as the Worldwide Olympic Partner in the Wireless Communications Equipment category, providing its proprietary wireless communications platform, called Wireless Olympic Works (WOW), and mobile devices. These innovative mobile phone technologies provide the Olympic Family with real-time, user location-based information service, interactive communications, and Samsung Pay. Samsung hosts various Olympic campaigns to share the excitement of the Olympic Games with people around the world and enable everyone to participate in the Games through its innovative mobile technology. Samsung’s commitment as a Worldwide Olympic Partner continues through to Rio 2016, PyeongChang 2018, and Tokyo 2020.

Samsung Electronics, Worldwide Olympic Partner in the Wireless Communications Equipment category, announced a partnership with Academy Award® winning filmmaker Morgan Neville (“20 Feet from Stardom”; “Best of Enemies”) on “A Fighting Chance”, a documentary short that will tell the inspiring, untold stories of four Olympic Games hopefuls on their quest to overcome remarkable odds and obstacles to compete at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. The collaboration is part of Samsung’s commitment to spread the Olympic spirit by shining a spotlight on these athletes as they relentlessly push the boundaries of what is possible.

The documentary short, slated for release next month, will take viewers on an emotive journey as they are exposed to the unexplored worlds of athletes from three diverse countries – Lesotho, Vanuatu, and the Dominican Republic. Neville traveled thousands of miles to capture the history, ambition and shared passion of these Olympic Games hopefuls, each fighting daily constraints in hopes of seeing the flag of their country fly from the podium in Rio de Janeiro. Similar to its relentless pursuit of innovation that enriches people’s lives, Samsung aspires to fuel meaningful progress for the future by sharing these stories.

“I am happy to be working with Samsung to create this documentary film in the lead up to the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. Samsung is a brand known around the world, and I’ve seen the positive impact it can make on not just these athletes, but on others as well,” said director Morgan Neville. “If the Olympic Spirit is about overcoming every hurdle and accepting no limits, then I think Samsung is a great ambassador for these values.”

“A Fighting Chance” will introduce the world to the following Olympic Games hopefuls:

• Tsepo Mathibelle (Marathon Running, 24 years old, Lesotho): In Lesotho, a small country landlocked by South Africa, viewers will meet Tsepo Mathibelle, a determined marathoner running to support his entire family. After finishing in last place at the London 2012 Olympic Games, Tsepo remains steadfast in his quest to win Lesotho’s first Olympic medal.
• Miller Pata & Linline Matauatu (Beach Volleyball, 23 and 26 years old, Vanuatu): In Vanuatu, an island country in the South Pacific which was devastated by Cyclone Pam in 2015, viewers will be introduced to Miller Pata and Linline Matauatu, a beach volleyball team whose everyday tenacity and perseverance is inspiring  generation of Ni-Vanuatu women to think beyond the limits of traditional boundaries and follow their dreams.
• Yenebier Guillén Benitez (Boxing, 75kg, 29 years old, Dominican Republic): Yenebier Guillén Benitez is a young woman striving to be the first female Olympic medalist from her country, smashing gender barriers with every punch. She is determined to keep the sport legacy alive in her family, following in the footsteps of both her father and grandfather.

Neville, known for his unique ability to make relatively unknown subjects become the stars, took a unique approach to bringing these stories to life through documentary storytelling. He spent time in each athlete’s home country, where he conducted intimate interviews with the Olympic Games hopefuls, their coaches, teammates and community members to learn about the ways in which they are breaking the mold and writing history for their countries. He also observed and captured their rigorous training routines – a universal theme of dedication and determination weaving each athlete’s journey together under the umbrella of a shared goal: to win an Olympic medal.

“Samsung is in a unique position to tell the untold stories of these athletes because we live the same dreams of being extraordinary and pushing limits to achieve the impossible,” said Younghee Lee, Executive Vice President of Global Marketing, Mobile Communications Business at Samsung Electronics. “As a dedicated Worldwide Olympic Partner, we believe that this film will captivate the world in the lead up to the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, fueling the Olympic Movement overall and shining a spotlight on athletes and countries that many fans would have never known before.”

Samsung is constantly striving to connect and help people stay connected, share experiences and create the memories that write history. To enhance each athlete’s training and help them stay connected with family, friends and coaches on the road to Rio, they were provided with a variety of Samsung Galaxy mobile products and technology.

For more information and to view the official film trailer, please visit www.samsungmobilepress.com or www.youtube.com/samsungmobile.

About Morgan Neville

Morgan Neville is a documentary filmmaker whose films focus on culture. His acclaimed film 20 Feet From Stardom won the 2014 Academy Award for Best Documentary as well as a Grammy Award for Best Music Film in 2015. His most recent documentary, Best of Enemies, was released by Magnolia Pictures and Participant Media in 2015 and was shortlisted for the 2016 Academy Award. Neville has been nominated for three additional Grammys for his films: Respect Yourself: The Stax Records Story, Muddy Waters Can’t Be Satisfied and Johnny Cash’s America and won an Emmy Award for his film Hank Williams: Honky Tonk Blues. Neville’s non-music films include The Cool School and Beauty Is Embarrassing. His current projects include: The Music of Strangers: Yo-Yo Ma and The Silk Road Ensemble, slated to be released by The Orchard in 2016, Chelsea Does, a four-part documentary series to be released in January 2016, and Keith Richards: Under the Influence, recently released in September 2015.

About Samsung’s Involvement in the Olympic Games

Samsung began its Olympic Games involvement as a local sponsor of the Seoul 1988 Olympic Games. Beginning with the Nagano 1998 Olympic Winter Games, the company extended its commitment to the Olympic Movement as the Worldwide Olympic Partner in the Wireless Communications Equipment category, providing its proprietary wireless communications platform, called Wireless Olympic Works (WOW), and mobile devices. These innovative mobile phone technologies provide the Olympic Family with real-time, user location-based information service, interactive communications, and Samsung Pay. Samsung hosts various Olympic campaigns to share the excitement of the Olympic Games with people around the world and enable everyone to participate in the Games through its innovative mobile technology. Samsung’s commitment as a Worldwide Olympic Partner continues through to Rio 2016, PyeongChang 2018, and Tokyo 2020.