From Cub to King: Faith Musembi on Nat Geo’s Lion

Kenyan filmmaker, producer, and director Faith Musembi joins us to discuss Nat Geo’s four-part docuseries Lion, following the remarkable journey of Keo, a male lion filmed from cub to king across four years.

Faith shares the power of character-driven wildlife storytelling, the challenges and ethical decisions behind filming in the field, and why African voices must be central to stories about African wildlife, climate, and conservation. She also discusses community-inclusive conservation and her work founding the Nuru Film Institute, helping create opportunities for the next generation of African wildlife filmmakers.

Lion airs August 19 on National Geographic and begins streaming August 20 on Disney+ and Hulu.

Timeline

00:00 Meet Faith Musembi

01:23 Breaking Into Wildlife Film

03:33 Why African Voices Matter

06:02 Elephants and Magic Moments

08:31 Keo Story Overview

10:07 Filming Four Year Journey

12:30 Brotherhood and Tenderness

14:23 Field Logistics and Notes