Press Release
New Delhi, 26 September 2006

Environment and Wildlife Film Festival Travels to Chennai

After an overwhelming response in November 2004, Chennai CMS VATAVARAN 2006 - Environment and Wildlife Travelling Film Festival is back in the city for the second time.

The Centre for Media Studies (CMS), New Delhi, and CPR Environment Education Centre, Chennai are organising the film festival at Kalaivanar Arangam from 5-7 October. The Ministry of Environment and Forests and Department of Environment Tamil Nadu will be supporting the Festival.

In its second run, the festival will offer a bouquet of more than 25 films, 9 of which will be especially for the children apart from many others for college students and others. This festival presents an opportunity to view an array of films on topical, Indian environment and wildlife issues. There will be talks by experts, photography exhibition and a symposium. The festival will reach out to approximately 6000 people including filmmakers, NGOs, government organizations, environmentalists, researchers, conservationists, policy makers, activists, public and private sector organisations and students of all ages.

CMS VATAVARAN 2006 will also be felicitating Mr. Shekar Dattatri, Wildlife Filmmaker and Mr. Alphonse Roy, Wildlife Cinematographer. .

Expected to create awareness on the environmental problems amongst the audience, this festival will generate greater momentum on environmental issues and lead to action for change," says Alka Tomar, the Festival Director.

The festival will have a workshop on Environmental Film Making: Opportunities and Constrains. Presiding over the workshop will be renowned filmmakers like Naresh Bedi, Shekar Datatri, Nutan Manmohan amongst others.

Premiering in the festival will be films like Shekar Dattatri's Point Calimere: Little Kingdom by the Coast, which offers a glimpse into Point Calimere's remarkable ecosystem and its problems. Also to be screened will be the CMS Fellowship film by Prayas, Abhay and Manjushree titled 'Leaving No Trace…Cyclist in the City'.

Ajay & Vijay Bedi's The Policing Langur on the monkey menace, Dhimant Vyas's Cute Bunny on keeping the environment clean, Nutan Manmohan's A Second Hand Life, on e-waste business will also be screened at the festival.

A Wildlife photography exhibition organised by CRPEEC will also be a part of the 3-day Festival

For more information contact:
CMS VATAVARAN Film Festival Directorate
CMS
RESEARCH HOUSE
Saket Community Centre
New Delhi 110017
P: 91-11-24992597 (D) 26522244; F: 91-11-26968282
E: info@cmsvatavaran.org; www.cmsvatavaran.org