Understanding critical environmental issues via films
‘Quotes from the Earth’, a three-day Environmental film festival by Toxics Link and India International Centre with support from The Swedish Society For Nature Conservation will kick off in New Delhi in the first week of December. The festival aims to sensitise the layman towards the critical environmental issues plaguing the world today.
The transition of a village from hunters of Amur Falcons to becoming their most fervent preservationists, the story of a Kashmiri man quitting his job as an ethical hacker in Silicon Valley and embarking on a journey to become a shepherd in Ladakh, the true story of the hardships and sacrifices of the sulphur miners of Kawaliljen in Indonesia, a documentary on the beauty of the Dal lake and its deteriorating condition due to multiple reasons, how a father of an asthmatic son in Warsaw searches for answers on why air pollution continues to be a major problem in Poland, the toxic chemical terrorism responsible for the ‘cancer belt’ of Punjab-all such ecological concerns and challenges faced at the national and international level are part of the film fiesta. The inauguration of the event, to be held at India International Centre on December 6, 10:00 am, will be graced by
Jairam Ramesh, Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha.
‘Quotes from the Earth’ is one of the oldest environmental film festivals in the country and has been organised in the Capital since 2004. Apart from thought-provoking films by renowned Indian environmental filmmakers like S Nallamuthu, Gautam Pandey, Doe! Trivedy and Jalal lid Din Baba, film viewers will also get to watch internationally acclaimed films from countries like Russia, Turkey, and The Dominican Republic. “This is a wake-up call,” said Ravi Agarwal, Director of Toxics Link, adding “We’ve got to preserve our environment and prevent further degradation. Or else it will be too late.”
The festival, over the years, has attracted people from all walks of life. As many as 28 films will be screened this year which includes award-winning films like ‘The Pangti Story’ by Sesino Yhoshu and ‘The Birdman of Chorao’. Besides showcasing films, there is a Q&A session with the directors after the completion of each of the films where they will put light on the struggles/ challenges faced by them.