The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : This film festival celebrates life in the wild

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Nov 25, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

This film festival celebrates life in the wild

By Our Staff Reporter

CHENNAI, NOV. 24. Twenty-five award-winning films highlighting diversity in nature will be screened at Vatavaran Travels 2004, an environment and wildlife film festival, from November 27 to 29.

Organised by the C.P.R. Environmental Education Centre (CPREEC) and the Centre for Media Studies, entry to the festival at the Russian Cultural Centre here is free. The Union Ministry of Environment and Forests is funding the event.

"The films have been chosen keeping in view the lasting relevance of the theme and uniqueness of the subject," said Nanditha Krishna, honorary director, CPREEC.

Around 10,000 people are expected to attend the festival. As the auditorium has limited seats, schools wishing to bring their students to the festival should register with CPREEC in advance.

A. Raja, Union Minister for Environment and Forests, will open the festival on Saturday.

The festival includes panel discussions on environment and wildlife filmmaking in India, and recent shifts in media trends.

Sensitising viewers

The festival aims to encourage filmmakers to use the power of the audio-visual media to promote conservation of the environment, sensitise Indian television channels, enthuse young children and inculcate concern for the environment among the viewers.

The films are thematically organised. `Troubled Waters' speaks about reef watch marine conservation, `A Brush with Death' documents the illegal procurement and sale of mongoose hair for the paintbrush industry, `King Cobra' by Romulus Earl Whitaker talks about the diminishing habitat of the world's largest venomous snake. Shekar Dattatri's `Nagarhole -- Tales from an Indian Jungle,' is a conservation-oriented natural history film that captures the hidden dramas in a forest. `Vedanthangal -- Winter Heaven for Birds' by A. Raja looks at the largest bird sanctuary in the world. The festival's themes are flora and fauna, pollution and conservation.

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