Although Vatavaran, Environment and Wildlife Film Festival was not exactly that, it was nothing short of one either!!
Amidst the crowd of film festivals, fashion weeks and star-studded events, the quiet yet stimulating CMS Vatavaran, Environment & Wildlife Festival held in the capital was a one-of-a-kind event which did win quite an applause too. It often happens that amidst the popularity of the aggressively marketed commercial cinema and documentaries and much-hyped apparel showcasing, subjects like wildlife and environment, which need attention, get ignored. So this five-day long festival was organised with a purpose to provide a platform to those who have dedicated their lives to the survival of endangered species as well as those battling to give planet earth a longer life.
Being a wildlife enthusiast, when browsing through the schedule of events, I had picked my days of visit according to the screening of interesting wildlife films. And so there I was on the second day of the event, excited to watch some environment and wildlife documentaries. To my surprise, the event was not only meant to showcase films, but was also a large-scale attempt to create awareness regarding the two subjects. Immediately after registration, I made my way to the film-screening halls, which had back-to-back screenings of movies by filmmakers from around the world, and it was a pleasant surprise to see that a lot of Indian filmmakers figured in the list. While some movies lacked the ‘gripping factor’, others enthralled many an audience. A Norwegian filmmaker’s Saved by a Lioness, which told the story of the survival of a wildebeest and the perils that they face during The Great Migration, and also presented the beauty of wild Africa. There were other eye-opening films on environment, especially about the contamination of the Ganges and about the climatic effects of global warming, which were not only interesting but also managed to drive home a certain message. “Our only concern is to sensitise people about the reality of climatic changes and about the existence of endangered species.
Awareness generation is the first step toward bringing about action. And people will take action only if they are aware of the situation, whether it is about the harm that global warming might cause to the world tomorrow or it is about the fact that some species might be washed away for good”, explained an organiser of the Film Festival.
Although films were the biggest draw at this event, eventually, it was not just the documentaries that brought people to CMS Vatavaran. There were also seminars and panel discussions by wildlife experts and environmentalists. Besides, there were workshops on wildlife filmmaking conducted by renowned wildlife filmmakers – the Bedi Brothers (Ajay and Vijay Bedi) for budding and aspiring wildlife filmmakers. Recognising this platform that addressed alarming issues through films and discussions, Delhi Chief Minister, Sheila Dixit graced the occasion to reinforce the message, while filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt gave away the award for the Best Documentary Film of the event.
“Through this event, we aim to capture young minds and create awareness about these alarming issues, so that they become guardians of the world tomorrow”, mentioned a panellist, filmmaker and wildlife activist, Rita Banerji. And indeed, inspiring and inciting, the CMS Vatavaran, Environment & Wildlife Film Festival would have surely left an indelible impression on all minds, young and old.
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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009
Amidst the crowd of film festivals, fashion weeks and star-studded events, the quiet yet stimulating CMS Vatavaran, Environment & Wildlife Festival held in the capital was a one-of-a-kind event which did win quite an applause too. It often happens that amidst the popularity of the aggressively marketed commercial cinema and documentaries and much-hyped apparel showcasing, subjects like wildlife and environment, which need attention, get ignored. So this five-day long festival was organised with a purpose to provide a platform to those who have dedicated their lives to the survival of endangered species as well as those battling to give planet earth a longer life.
Being a wildlife enthusiast, when browsing through the schedule of events, I had picked my days of visit according to the screening of interesting wildlife films. And so there I was on the second day of the event, excited to watch some environment and wildlife documentaries. To my surprise, the event was not only meant to showcase films, but was also a large-scale attempt to create awareness regarding the two subjects. Immediately after registration, I made my way to the film-screening halls, which had back-to-back screenings of movies by filmmakers from around the world, and it was a pleasant surprise to see that a lot of Indian filmmakers figured in the list. While some movies lacked the ‘gripping factor’, others enthralled many an audience. A Norwegian filmmaker’s Saved by a Lioness, which told the story of the survival of a wildebeest and the perils that they face during The Great Migration, and also presented the beauty of wild Africa. There were other eye-opening films on environment, especially about the contamination of the Ganges and about the climatic effects of global warming, which were not only interesting but also managed to drive home a certain message. “Our only concern is to sensitise people about the reality of climatic changes and about the existence of endangered species.
Awareness generation is the first step toward bringing about action. And people will take action only if they are aware of the situation, whether it is about the harm that global warming might cause to the world tomorrow or it is about the fact that some species might be washed away for good”, explained an organiser of the Film Festival.
Although films were the biggest draw at this event, eventually, it was not just the documentaries that brought people to CMS Vatavaran. There were also seminars and panel discussions by wildlife experts and environmentalists. Besides, there were workshops on wildlife filmmaking conducted by renowned wildlife filmmakers – the Bedi Brothers (Ajay and Vijay Bedi) for budding and aspiring wildlife filmmakers. Recognising this platform that addressed alarming issues through films and discussions, Delhi Chief Minister, Sheila Dixit graced the occasion to reinforce the message, while filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt gave away the award for the Best Documentary Film of the event.
“Through this event, we aim to capture young minds and create awareness about these alarming issues, so that they become guardians of the world tomorrow”, mentioned a panellist, filmmaker and wildlife activist, Rita Banerji. And indeed, inspiring and inciting, the CMS Vatavaran, Environment & Wildlife Film Festival would have surely left an indelible impression on all minds, young and old.
For Complete IIPM Article, Click on IIPM Article
Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009
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