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A Brush With Death
English/16mins/2002
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The common mongoose is a fairly widespread species and placed fairly low in the hierarchy of protected animals in India and is listed under schedule IV of the Wildlife Protection Act. It has always been considered a friend of the farmer. Though occasionally
known to prey on poultry, it offsets such damage by hunting the farmer’s enemies — rats, mice and snakes. The mongoose is not a creature of forests. It is found in the open lands, scrub forests and cultivated lands. It lives in the thickets, groves of trees
and fields or in burrows in the ground. This film also documents illegal procurement and sale of mongoose hair on which thrives the paint brush-making industry. As a result of which the mongoose is brutally killed and is on the brink of being declared extinct.
Yet it is placed fairly low in the hierarchy of protected animals in India being listed in the Schedule IV of the Wild Life Protection Act
Producer: Syed Fayaz, RGB Films
Wildlife Trust Of India
C-644, New friends Colony
New Delhi 110065
Tel: 91-11-26326025/26
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a journey through moyar
(English) 25 min.
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A film shot on Madumalai Wildlife Sanctuary, Tamil Nadu. The film has caught the scenic beauty of this dense forest along the river Moyar. This deciduous forest is the dwelling place of the mighty Asian elephant. Panoramic views of the Nilgiri slopes with
floating clouds, huge water falls, gushing streams and misty hillocks bring nature alive. The film extensively covers the bio-diversity of the area. Enchanting scenes like bathing birds, elephants playing in water, bee sucking nectar, birds feeding young ones
and blooming monsoon flowers are captured on film. Like any other protected area of India, Madumalai sanctuary is not without problems. The film gently suggests that conservation of the natural wealth of the forest cannot be achieved without he active involvement
of locals.
Producer: Bombay Natural History Society
Enquiries:
.BNHS ,Hornbill House,
Dr.Salim Ali Chowk
Shahid Bhagat Singh Road, Mumbai 400023
Tel: 91 22 2821811
E-mail:bnhs@bom4.vsnl.net.in
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A Mirage for a Future ?
(English/32min)
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Situated in Western Gujrat, the Little Rann of Kachch Wild Ass Sanctuary is the largest protected area in India. Over 300 species of birds, several rare and beautiful reptiles, amphibians, mammals and plants are protected in this unique habitat. It is
also home to the free ranging Wild Ass (Equus Hemionus). This sanctuary is under increasing threat from encroaching salt industries, the pressure of livestock and unregulated traffic which raises several questions regarding the ecology of the whole protected
area. Perceiving an adverse official attitude to the sanctuary, a local NGO filed a Public Interest Litigation against the Government of Gujrat leasing sanctuary land to the salt industry.
The Government and the salt merchants defend the move saying it is interest of the poor landless salt workers ( agarias), but facts reveal that the agarias are caught in a never-ending cycle of debt and poverty, exploited by the salt merchants who advocate
their cause. Salt merchants recommend denotifying some part of the sanctuary for the salt industry, while experts point out that perennity and integrity of protected areas are very important. The problem can be solved only through consensus.
Director: Ashok N. Mewada
Enquiries:
Educational Media Research Centre
Ahmedabad
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A Second Hand Life, Nutan Manmohan
30 min
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An investigation into the murky side of information technology, whereby tons of hazardous e-waste is seeping into India causing havoc on their health and environment through the experiences of two children.
Enquiries
THE PUBLIC SERVICE BROADCASTING TRUST
P O Box 3264, Nizamuddin East
New Delhi-110 013 Tel: 91-11-24355941
Fax: 24353825
Email: info@psbt.org
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A Shivalik Monsoon
(English/25min/2000/digibeta)
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A first-time ever close look into the life of the Paradise Flycatcher, certainly the most beautiful and widely distributed bird of the Indian subcontinent. The Paradise flycatchers have been filmed in the Shivaliks for the first time in intimate detail,
along with all the other exciting denizens of their sylvan sub-Himalayan world, including the rare pied horn bill, the cliff dwelling goral and the orange headed ground thrush.
Producer/Director: Rupin Dang
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A Tribute to Himalaya
(Sanskrit/5mins/2004/Beta)
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This film is mounted on the Sanskrit hymns from Kalidas's “Kumarsambhavam” depicting the glorious Himalayas . The hymn says – the unique creation of God; the Himalayas the most majestic of mountain ranges is a boon to my country. Its uniqueness, beauty,
rivers, the rare trees and forest, give motivation to meditate and live. It provides us with rare herbs, medicinal plants and also provides romanticism to human lives. Holding the Indian Ocean , carrying Mother Earth, it stands still, being the lifeline of
my land. Let us not destroy it. I salute the majestic Himalayas .
Producer/Director: Biyot Projna Tripathy
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Anathavalam-The Elephants' Paradise
(English/18min/2000)
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Caparisoned elephant is a requirement for every auspicious occasion or a celebration in Kerala. The famous Lord Krishna temple in Guruvayoor, Kerala maintains a 300 year old elephant camp. Only of its kind in India , this camp for captive elephants trains
the animals for processions and temple rituals.
Producer: P.V. Viswambharan
Director: VimalV
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and the bamboo blooms
(35MM/Col/20 min)
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The film is a study on the relationship between the tribals and the bamboo as a relationship from birth to death. The flowering of the bamboo which occurs once in 40-120 year life span depending on the species, is a time of devastation. The rodent population
multiplies uncontrollably (the bamboo seeds are presumably aphrodisiac) devouring all crops and leaving the farmer bereft of a livelihood. In Manipur and Mizoram the flowering bamboo has environmental, economic and political dimensions.
Director: Joshy Joseph
Enquiries:
Films Division
24 -Dr. Deshmukh Marg,
Mumbai 400 026,
India
Tel: 9122- 3861461-65
Fax: 9122-3800308
Email: filmsd@bom4.vsnl.net.in, joshy_j44@hotmail.com
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Aranya Yatra- Ek Sukhad Anubhuti
(Hindi/27min/2005/Beta)
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The film introduces to the viewers the forests of wildlife sanctuaries of Hazaribagh, Koderma, Parasnath and Topchanchi as observed by a university student, Jigisha. Though some of these forests are notifie as Protected Areas, they face problems like mining.
The issue of relocation of forest dwellers also comes to light. Man-animal conflict is quite common in these sanctuaries. Modern electric fencing around villages is being done to protect the villagers. But poverty and lack of alternate livelihood forces the
people to go into the forest and act in contravention of forest laws.
Producer: Diksha Kumari Prasad
Director: Payal Deogam
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Bargad Ne Kaha Dekho Meri Duniya
(Hindi/15 min/2005/DV)
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Banyan tree is a complete ecological system itself. It is a shelter to micro organisms like algae, fungi and bacteria to macro organisms like insects, reptiles, birds, cattle and mammals. Banyan tree has the strange capacity to extend its own self. Every
year, during the rainy season, the swinging aerial roots shoots out through its branches and grows. As the roots touch the earth, they give shoulder to the mother tree. Whenever a banyan tree is felled, it means the land becomes devoid of hundreds of micro-macro
biological and botanical organisms. Survival of human beings is doubtful if this oxygenated ecological system vanishes.
Producer/Director Anil Yadav
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Behind the Glitter
(English) /45min/2004
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Behind the clitter Narsipatnam was a non-descript small rural town in Vizag District of Andhra Pradesh. The villages of Karaka, Kasimi, Donepalem and K.Yellavaram were remote interior villages with predominantly tribal population. They had not much connection
with the outside world except for visiting the weekly shanty in Narsipatnam to sell their produce or to purchase household goods. Even for that they had to walk 12 kilometres all the way to Narsipatnam – there was no transport facility.
That was ten years ago, until the precious stone Alexandrite was unearthed in the Karaka hill. Today these villages are on the road to modernisation with many facilities including cell phones reaching them. But along with modernity, and improved monetary situations,
the villages are reeling under the malaise of AIDS.
At the bottom of it is control – control on the land and the illegal mining activity of Alexandrite that nobody buys in India but has great demand in American and European markets.
‘Behind the Glitter’ tells the story of how in a bid to gain control on the access to the mining areas, the mining syndicates have played havoc with the lives of innocent villagers.
Director: PG Diploma in TV Documentary, University of Salford, UK. Made short features and documentaries on subjects concerning rural development, anti-tobacco ads etc.
Production Team: Camera/Script/Direction – Saraswati Kavula
Editor – Amar Polla
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Bhalku….Ek Engineer
(Hindi/28min/2003/Beta)
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Bhalku, a villager with traditional engineering skills who helped the British in setting up an amazing rail track from Kalka to Shimla in Himachal Pradesh. Though completely illiterate, the British invited Bhalku to assist them for not only the Kalka –shimla
rail track but also for the grand Indo-Tibet highway. Due to his unusual abilities, feel and love for Nature he achieved the impossible. They awarded him the title of “engineer” for his engineering skills. Through Bhalku's exemplary life of loving and relating
to Mother nature and being one with the environment the film brings forth the ideology that we just cannot always take from nature, we must learn to give as well.
Producer: Genesis Media
Director: Kala Iyer
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Bio Control of Teak Defoliator
(English/15 min/2004/beta)
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Shot at Nilambur, Kerala which is known as the cradle of Indian Forestry, the film documents the development of an eco friendly method to solve the problem of defoliator outbreaks which had evaded control for the past 150 years. The film starts with defining
the economic impact of the pest both in terms f wood loss and revenue unrealized. The dynamics of pest outbreaks is explained next with a review of the past research efforts. After a comparative analysis of the potential bio control agents like predators,
parasites and pathogens, the film shows why the Nuclear Polyhedrosis Virus was selected as the best bio control agent.
Producer: Kerala Forest Research Institute (KFRI)
Director: Dr. T.V Sanjeev
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Biological Paradise of Andhra Pradesh
(English/10min/2004/beta)
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A film on mangrove forests in the estuaries of Krishna and Godavari delta regions of Andhra Pradesh. Mangrove enhances fish productivity by acting as a nursery to marine and fresh water life forms. They serve as a rich source of ra materials, medicines,
shelter and fodder to local communities and reduce coastal erosion, natural storms and cyclones. Mangroves are destroyed for timber and firewood due to human greed or ignorance, lack of information and indiscreet use. The scientific mangrove restoration techniques
are portrayed.
Producer: The Hindu Media Resource Centre, M.S Swaminathan Research Foundation
Director: Dr.K Bhanumathi
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Birds Through My Window
English/18min/2003
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The month of May- the time just before the monsoons break in, is the month of nesting and a month in which all the birds suddenly came to life, for me. Making this film during my summer vacations opened my eyes to a whole new world of feathery creatures
and I realized that just by being a little more observant and attentive to our surroundings, we can have so much company and fun. It was a thrilling experience to find that ours was not the only home in this compound. The film documents this experience of
finding such homes, which were near my house, many of which I could see right through my window. My brother and I, we built many birds’ trays and installed them all around our house. We put food on it every day and observed each and every bird that came and
sat on it. We found many nests, and we also found out how difficult life is in the wild, how every thing is inter related- the birds, the animals and the seasons. There is a delicate web of life and we human beings should not disturb it.
Producer: Rudransh Mathur
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Buddha Weeps in Jadugoda
/1999/ English ( subtitles )/54min
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The film is about the deadly impact of uranium mining, y the Uranium Corporation of India Ltd (UCIL), on the tribal people living near Jadugoda, in the east Singhbhum district of Jharkhand. It is an attempt to document the gross misuse of power by the
authorities, in displacing the original inhabitants of the region, their lack of concern for internationally accepted norms and safety precautions in the handling of uranium and its by-products, and their complete disregard for its disastrous effect on the
people and the region.
Director: Shriprakash
Enquiries:
30, Randhir P D Street
Upper bazaar, Ranchi 834001
Bihar
Ph. 91651 317461
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Bugyal (Pastures)
Hindi/8mins/2001
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Conservation of nature has been a major aspect of Indian culture, and it has been practiced in Uttaranchal since ancient times. The lush green pastures of Uttaranchal, similar to those in the Alps, are known as Bugyal. Local communities have been equipped
with traditional knowledge about the importance and fragility of the ecosystem for thousands of years. That is why they developed traditions to conserve them. Even today, one can see preserved areas in the form of sacred groves. This film reflects upon the
traditional customs and beliefs concerned with the conservation of the bugyal
Producer: Sandeep Bhatt
Enquiries:
Sandeep Bhatt
Spot films, B-27, Nizammudin East
New Delhi 110013
Tel: 91-11-24354927/7928
sbhatt@spotfilms.net
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Butterflies of Thanuppanchola
(English/31min/2003/DV)
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Thanuppanchola is a strip of rain forest that remains in the Vazhikkadavu ghat in Nilambur, along the flanks of Nilgiris in the southern Western Ghats . More than 130 species of butterflies have been recorded from here during the two months of shooting.
Seventy five species are shown in the film.
Producer: Department of Forest and Wildlife, Government of Kerala
Director:” E.Kunhikrishnan
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call of the forest
25 min/English
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This film documents the successful struggle of tribal women in Bastar in Central India to save their traditional saal forest from felling under the commercial forestry programme by the government's Forest Department. The film captures the spontaneity and
vigour of a determined group of women galvanized into action under the remarkable leadership of a middle-aged tribal woman, Mitkbai.
Enquiries:
CAPART/CENDIT
Council for Advancement of People's Action and Rural technology
Gurunanak Foundation Building
New Mehrauli Road
New Delhi 110 067
Centre for Development of Instructional Technology
D-1 Soami Nagar
New Delhi 110 017
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Chaliyar : The Final Struggle
31 min. 1999
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(Malayalam with English subtitles)
1958: The Government of Kerala persuades the Birlas to open a factory in Mavoor, North Kerala. Their vision of a modern industrialized Kerala was founded upon more and more Mavoors.
At a time when environmentalism was unheard of, a man led his people to save their river and their lives from the killer factory.
A river, her people and a factory, which gobbles up all their precious natural resources and pollutes their land and lives form the pricipal characters of this film.
Direction: P.Baburaj and C. Saratchandran
Enquiries:
Jyotsna, Temple Road, Thirumala,
Thiruvananthapuram 695006 Kerala.
Ph: 91 11 363164, 541355
E-mail: sarat@satyam.net.in
For more details click on the title
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Chandi Ka Samander
Hindi/21mins 26secs/2003
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Documentary feature “Chandi Ka Samandar” is the story of a lake, which faces the threat of extinction due to environmental degradation, spread over 200 sq. miles. Sambhar Lake is situated 80 Km. from Jaipur. About two decades ago this lake was the only
salt producing unit in the region. Unfortunately, with the coming up of about a hundred private salt manufacturers and ecological disbalance, we are very close to losing this internationally known fresh water lake, one of the biggest lakes of Asia.
Producer: Anand Syal, Doordarshan Kendra, Jaipur
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Cherrapunji-Rain, Rain Everywhere, but Not a Drop to Drink
(English/28min/2004/Beta)
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This film focuses on the severe drinking water crisis in Cherrapunji, one of the wettest places on earth. This irony of fate, people trekking long distances to fetch drinking water, even as the heavens pour rains, has been brought about by indiscriminate
felling of trees in this area. To make life worse, even the rains, once the pride of Cherrapunji, have decreased. This has happened due to cutting down of forests- the few remaining tall trees are unable to stop the rain bearing clouds.
Producer: Public Service Broadcasting Trust(PSBT)
Director: Madhumita Chakraborty
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Colours of the Earth
English/28mins/2002
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Summary: The film travels to the villages of these women in district Medak, Andhra Pradesh, in an effort to understand how the change happened. The main aim for the women was to control their own lives, with the help of a local NGO called Deccan Development
Society. Their Alternative Public Distribution System is truly commendable. It is a system that ensures subsidised food grains at village level grain banks for the people. This system is completely de- decentralized and managed entirely by women. The film
is a personal narrative of the filmmaker.
Producer: Krishnendu Bose
Enquiries
Earthcare Films, B-91, Defence Colony
New Delhi 110024
Email: earthcare@vsnl.com, adminearthcare@vsnl.net
Tel: 91-11-24334171, 24332005
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Cry of the Forest
(English/27 min)
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This film tries to look into a more holistic meaning of conservation where people also are a part of the forest and animals. The filmmaker's line of argument is that people staying inside and around the forests ( National Park and Sanctuaries) should not
pay the cost o conservation. They may be made a part of this instead and be reintegrated into what was theirs. The film begs a relook into the conservation policies being presently followed. The film is located in Kanha in Madhya Pradesh. The crew meets Sardar,
a Baiga who has a vast source of knowledge on medicinal plants but today laments the loss of control. The crew spent a night in the middle of a paddy field to get a first hand look into wild animals depredating crops-laying waste a whole year's hard work.
Sonar Bai,60, recounts how she was thrown out of her village Aurai, inside the Kanha Park in the monsoon of '72…..how she had to sell everythig to settle her family again. Finally the film looks at a village which is still inside the National Park-Jami and
closely watches it sustainably 'use' the forest.
Dir: Krishnendu Bose
Enquiries:
Public Service Broadcasting Trust
New Delhi
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Dance with Hands held Tight
(Different Indian languages/60mins/2005/DV)
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86% of rural women are engaged in agriculture. In 92% of the rural households energy needs is met by firewood. The landless and the poor, mostly women among them, procure 90% of firewood from forest commons. The sea supports livelihoods of 400, 000 women
just along the short 300kms of coast of Karnataka .
This intense relationship of women and natural resources across the country, throws up a whole range of issues and questions. Does the policy recognize this intensity? Do we value the knowledge systems, which may have developed among these women? How have women
coped with coercion from State in their accessing of natural resources? The film tries to explore these questions.
Producer: Earthcare Film
Director: Krishnendu Bose
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