Drag, birds, and biodiversity: Nikki Tan’s joyful new lens on conservation filmmaking

High in the emerald mountains of South Cotabato in the Philippines, a bird sings — a warbler so elusive it once evaded scientists entirely. Under the shimmer of stage lights, a queen takes the stage. Her name is Margaux: a tourism officer by day, drag performer by night, whose stunning dance performance draws inspiration from the bird’s appearance and movements.

It’s living proof that environmental stewardship and progress are not opposing forces, but kindred ones. 

In September 2023, Singapore conservation filmmaker Nikki Tan was speaking with PhD student Movin Nyanasengeran when he mentioned the little-known Tboli Leaf Warbler — a newly discovered species named after the indigenous Tboli tribe, whose ancestral lands cradle the bird’s habitat.

Then came a serendipitous twist: he added that the community’s senior tourism officer, Rodel Hilado, also performed in drag in her spare time as Margaux.

“As soon as we heard that, our eyes lit up,” said Tan, 26. “We knew we had stumbled upon a truly unique story.”

Making the film

That conversation became the birth of Madame Margaux, a luminous short film co-created with producer Bambby Cheuk and cinematographer Evangelista Wan, whom Tan met on a macaque shoot. The team’s pitch earned them a coveted Edge of Nature storytelling grant by On the Edge and Wildscreen, making them one of five global grantees. In 2024, the team kicked off with a January recce and a March full-production shoot during the Tboli’s annual Seslong Festival. 

Tan and her team spent two weeks on location, including five days camping in the mountains in search of the elusive bird. Supported by a local crew, they hauled gear up steep trails and camped without electricity. It was, incidentally, Tan’s first time birding.

Where most conservation films skew sombre, Madame Margaux sings, blending self-expression, indigenous resilience, and ecological reverence in a way that feels fresh and joyful, with the power to transcend beyond the usual conservation circles. 

“We wanted to spotlight a community and a species in a way that brings positivism and hope to a climate conversation that is so often weighed down by despair,” explains Tan.

For Tan, one of her biggest takeaways was seeing how the Tboli people’s deep sense of pride and responsibility in caring for their land.

Nature, she noticed, was woven into daily life: in Tnalak fabric made from abaca fibres, or in traditional dances that mirror animal movements. Every year, the community enforces a three-month closure of Lake Holon to give nature time to rest and recover.

“I found this incredibly admirable — a decision that prioritises ecological well-being over tourism or economic gain. It reflects a value system where nature and biodiversity are held in the highest regard, and where conservation is not just a strategy but a way of life,” she said.

Since its global premiere at the Wildscreen Festival in Bristol last October — one of the world’s most prestigious wildlife film festivals — Madame Margaux has also been selected by several international festivals, and recently won Short Documentary of the Year at the Southeast Asia International Film Festival (SEAIFF) 2025 Annual Awards.

Using film to explore human-nature connections

Tan may speak like a seasoned filmmaker, but she’s relatively new to the field. A communications graduate from Nanyang Technological University’s Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information, she began her filmmaker journey by telling stories close to home. Her final-year project — a short documentary on how people interact with Singapore’s beaches — sparked her interest in using film to explore the human-nature connection.

After graduation, she travelled to South Africa for a three-month internship to learn the ropes of journalism and underwater filmmaking — a “life-changing experience” that cemented her path in conservation storytelling.

Her first film, MURK! (Exploring Singapore from Below) — developed alongside Madame Margaux — is a 15-minute underwater film that follows three underwater photographers through the murky seas off Singapore’s coast, a surprising biodiversity hotspot often dismissed as one of the world’s worst dive sites. Then, working at non-profit Coastal Natives, it was also Tan’s first time diving in Singapore.

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Diving in murky waters taught Tan to slow down, pay closer attention to the small details, and discover a new sense of wonder and appreciation for the ocean and the often-overlooked life it holds. The film premiered on National Day last year at the Marina Barrage, following a live screening of the parade.

Today, Tan works as a communications and capacity officer, helping NGOs across Southeast Asia strengthen their storytelling skills.

The ocean remains one of her favourite places. “It’s truly one of the most awe-inspiring places on Earth — a whole other world hidden beneath the surface, like a bustling city underwater. You can find creatures as tiny as a grain of rice to the largest animal on the planet, the blue whale. Its vastness, mystery, and diversity never cease to amaze me. The ocean holds such calm and peace, yet demands respect through its sheer power.”

Southeast Asian pride

Through film and stories, Tan hopes to “open a window” into these less-traversed places, enabling others to see, feel, and begin to understand them better.

Tan urges people to remember that nature doesn’t always have to be appreciated on a grand, dramatic scale. In a place like Singapore — a densely populated city-state with limited natural landscapes — it’s easy to overlook the rich biodiversity around us, from rainforests and mangroves to coral reefs hosting hundreds of species.

“Sometimes, it’s as simple as taking a walk in the park, pausing to observe the insects or birds around you, or strolling along a boardwalk and looking down at the corals growing beneath your feet. You might be surprised by what you find if you choose to look closely.”

She emphasises that while nature is resilient, it must be considered a vital stakeholder in development decisions. “Nature should not be seen as a trade-off, but as a vital part of our future — something to be nurtured, respected, and included in the way we plan and grow.”

Looking ahead, Tan aims to continue highlighting Southeast Asian stories — especially those connected to the ocean, women and children, and communities on the frontlines of the climate crisis. Her hope: to see more Southeast Asian stories told by Southeast Asians — narratives rooted in lived experience, cultural memory, and a deep sense of place.

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Ultimately, Tan hopes her films will move hearts as much as they inform minds, to awaken care. It’s an ethos she saw lived out by the Tboli tribe, who know their land not just intimately, but relationally.

She references a favourite quote by renowned ocean explorer Jacques-Yves Cousteau, “We only protect what we love, we only love what we understand, and we only understand what we are taught.”

“I hope my stories can serve as a gentle invitation to care, and a reminder of what’s at stake,” she says.