'Quotes from the Earth' environment film festival inaugurated
"I haven’t seen a sparrow in a long time, though my garden has over 80 different kinds of birds." A concerned Delhi Chief Minister Shiela Dikshit said at the inauguration of ‘Quotes from the Earth’ environmental documentary film festival here Friday morning.
Taking time off from an intense political drama over the issue of sealing of shops in residential areas, she said: "I agreed to attend this opening ceremony because of the intense and personal concern that I have for environment."
Calling for all possible action ranging from individual acts to broad based community awareness on safeguarding environment, the Delhi Chief Minister said films are one of the most powerful mediums to take the issue to the masses.
Commending Toxics Link, the organisers, for holding the event she offered all possible financial and infrastructural support for taking the films showcased in the festival to people of the National Capital Territory region through projection vans.
She also used the platform to share with those present a school intervention programme being framed for conducting plantation drives in wastelands and denuded areas for increasing green cover in the capital.
Speaking about inter-linkages, so far as global nature of the issue of environment protection is concerned, Dr Dominique Dreyer, the Swiss Ambassador to India, said that though his country has largely protected its environment, one cannot deny the significance of supporting pro-environment activities in other societies.
Director of Toxics Link Ravi Agarwal detailed the dynamism that is visible in environmental debates and thus a need to create platforms for furthering the concerns that surround the issue.
The three-day film festival began on a high note with the inaugural screening of Shekhar Dattari's Point Calimere: A little kingdom by the Coast being appreciated not only with claps but also some heavy whistling by a young crowd.
The event that saw the most animated exchange of ideas among those present was a panel discussion on “Are environment documentaries only addressing the converted?” The panelists included acclaimed documentary filmmaker Sanjay Kak, Swiss director Alec Wohlgroth and Pradip Saha from Down to Earth.
The debate encompassed issues ranging from decline in creative standards to need for breaking away from agenda-based funding; from the new technological developments allowing greater freedom to need for cultivating new audiences.
http://www.toxicslink.org/filmfestival/2006/docs/Quotes_from_Earth_2006_Brochure.pdf
