Kashmir CMS Vatavaran 2006
Environment and Wildlife Traveling Film Festival
22-23 September 2006, Sher-e-Kashmir International Conference Centre, Kashmir

Environment and Wildlife Film Festival Travels to Kashmir

Come September 22 and it will be the Kashmir Valley's rendezvous time with the best of India's environment and wildlife films. Called the Kashmir CMS VATAVARAN 2006, India's premier environment and wildlife travelling film festival opens in Kashmir for the first time.

The Centre for Media Studies (CMS), New Delhi, and Global Green Peace - Kashmir, in association with University of Kashmir are organising the film festival at the Sher-e-Kashmir International Conference Centre on September 22 and 23. The Ministry of Environment and Forests, Action Aid and media partner, Greater Kashmir, are supporting the Festival.

In its maiden over, the festival will offer a bouquet of 21 films, 11 of them for children. Many of these films have won the coveted CMS VATAVARAN awards. 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 exhibitions and symposium - "Use the State's Ecology to Build a Self-Sustainable Economy".

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.

Mr. Taj Mohi-ud-din, the Minister for Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution, Jammu & Kashmir, will inaugurate the festival. Prof Saif-ud-din Soz, Union Minister for Water Resources, will be the chief guest for the concluding ceremony on the September 23.

With Dal Lake, virtually on its death-bed, rampant denudation of forests, increased air and water pollution and acute power shortage, the festival is expected to create awareness on the environmental problems of the Valley. It will generate greater momentum on environmental issues and lead to action for change," says Alka Tomar, the Festival Director.

The festival will felicitate Kashmir based filmmakers Shahid Rasool and Shafqut Habib for their relentless effort to highlight the local environment issues of Kashmir despite the conflict-ridden state of the valley.

Premiering in the festival will be films like Syed Fayaz's A Degree of Concern, focussing on climate change and Suparna Chaddha's When Atlas Shrugged Again highlighting the ongoing relief work in Uri, the worst hit earthquake area on the Indian side of the LOC. Also to be screened will be the CMS Fellowship film by Prayas, Abhay and Manjushree titled Leaving No Trace…Cyclist in the City.

Mike Pandey' s award winning film, Shores of Silence - Whale Sharks in India, Ajay & Vijay Bedi's The Policing Langur on the monkey menace, Amar Kanwar's Many Faces of Madness on ecological destruction, Dhimant Vyas's Cute Bunny on keeping the environment clean, Rajesh Jala & Tassaduq Hussain's Kaise Aag on the disappearing Chinar tree will also be screened at the festival.

Four photography exhibitions on topics like Natural Hazards and Impact on Livelihoods, Making A Better Environment For Elders, Dal Lake - Wounded Water and Traditional Architecture of Kashmir will be part of the festival activities.

For more information contact:
CMS Vatavaran Film Festival Directorate
Ashiwini Sinha
E: ashwanikrs@gmail.com
M: 9906780391
www.cmsvatavaran.org