5-day international green film fest begins at New Delhi

Host of national and international films on wildlife and environment will be shown in the gala organised by CMS VATAVARAN

Yogesh Mishra

New Delhi, December 06, 2011

The sixth international edition of CMS VATAVARAN, the country’s premier environment and wildlife film festival was inaugurated at Convention Centre in New Delhi on Tuesday evening. A host of national and international films on wildlife and environment would be shown in this five day eventful gala.

(From L to R) Wildlife filmmakers Rajesh Bedi,  Naresh Bedi
and Sri Lankan filmmaker Nalka Gunawardhane

During the inaugural session, renowned environment conservationist Dr George Schaller and eminent wildlife filmmakers like Bedi brothers (Naresh Bedi and Rajesh Bedi) shared their vast experience with the audience. Schaller, who is closely observing the wildlife for the past five decades, said the world needed to take congnisance of reducing forests and animals and must protect them. He says that the biological degradation is the real weapon of mass destruction.

Bedi brothers, who are said to be the pioneers of the wildlife photography in India, said their job was more complicated back in 70s and 80s when as they did not had much resources. “Still, we are capturing the wildlife in our cameras for the past forty years because we love this profession,” they said.

Directory release by Norwegian ambassador

The chief guest of the programme was Ambassador of Norway to India Ann Ollestad. The inaugural programme was attended by CMS Director PN Vasanti, DGF & SS Union Ministry of Environment and Forests Dr PJ Dilip Kumar.

On the occasion, two awards were presented - CMS-PANOS Young Environment Journalists Awards 2011 which was conferred upon Soma Basu (The Statesman, Kolkata) and Mr Manu C Kumar (Manorama News, Mumbai) and CMS Prithvi Ratna Award, the highest award in the country for environment and wildlife filmmaking. The award  was conferred upon eminent wildlife filmmaker Mr Ashish Chandola.