Vatavaran - India's Exclusive Environment and Wildlife Film Festival

A Bi-annual Film Festival
In today's world Environment has become a major concern. There is a need for development in the world of environment and wildlife film making, even if some of today's programmes are technically perfect, they are very entertaining, very beautiful, very impressive, very thrilling (and often very expensive). This was comprehended by Centre for Media Studies explicitly in "Vatavaran 2002" and "Vatavaran 2003". We believe that such efforts should be consistent and institutionalized for providing a base for the upcoming and established filmmakers and for creating awareness among the organizations and masses about these audio-visual resources.

Through this film festival, we endeavour towards providing an interactive platform for not just those who have chosen this medium to express their views, but also those who are affected one way or the other from the environmental degradation or the concerned policies.

The tremendous response to the 'Vatavaran 2002" and "Vatavaran 2003" demonstrated that such a need did exist at a latent level in the society. Schools, other academic institutions and organizations, business & corporate houses and the governmental machinery were all closely and enthusiastically involved with the festival. It is an opportunity to converge and become participants and partners in preservation and conservation efforts.

Last year film festival "Vatavaran 2003" was applauded as a pioneering effort in field of environmental filmmaking, organized by the Centre for Media Studies (CMS) and Ministry of Environment and Forests. Second year in succession, "Vatavaran 2003" went beyond being a National level Environment and Wildlife Film Festival and engages in a multi-disciplined endeavor in bringing environmental concerns on the forefront. An astonishing 154 film entries were received. Such a huge response from the film making fraternity has reaffirmed the faith in organizing this event. "Vatavaran" has now become a bi-annual event, promoting the best environment and wildlife film talent in the country and forging common grounds to showcase environmental films to huge national audiences. Indeed the festivals are a matter of National Pride.

Festival Aim
The festival aims to bring to the fore larger environmental concerns through films. It attempts to forge a dialogue and generate timely debate on the topical environmental issues involving the larger public. Also, Vatavaran endeavor is to encourage and nurture a new breed of "alternate filmmakers" who are passionate about environmental issues and through films want to articulate the environmental concerns to initiate dialogue and public debate. We believe in the process such an event will stimulate production of high quality films in the fields of wildlife, nature and environment.

Festival Objectives
In its inception year 2002 'Vatavaran' was conceived with the dual purpose of generating awareness on environmental issues and to recognize and applaud the environment and wild life filmmakers. CMS has broadened the vision to achieve five-pronged objectives.

• To encourage environmental films and filmmakers
  
• To effectively use the power of audio-visual media to promote environment and conservation messages
  
• To sensitize Indian television channels to be more receptive to the idea
• To enthuse young ones and children
• To inculcate appreciation and concern among the viewers towards environment

See Vatavaran 2002 Vatavaran 2003