CMS VATAVARAN – International Environment & Wildlife Film Festival and Forum is India’s only International Film Festival.
In 2002, CMS committed itself to a process animated by a few, really abstract, ideals. Even as the natural world seemed to reach the end of its carrying capacity, environment concerns seemed restricted to a few. CMS took the road less travelled and conceived an innovative idea to address these concerns. The dream was to make environmental concerns a priority through a platform that was not only exciting but also deeply enriching. The aim was to create a platform for practitioners to interact with people to make the entire effort collaboration.
The rich experience of CMS in environmental issues and the urge to go “Beyond Research” sowed the seeds of CMS VATAVARAN – a pioneering international festival of environment and wildlife films. Based on extensive research, this festival (competitive and travelling) was initiated for encouraging environment films and forums that result in perception, practice and policy change.
Today, CMS VATAVARAN festival has become one of the most prestigious film festivals across the globe and has successfully positioned India as a vibrant destination for environment and wildlife filmmaking. A survey conducted in early 2011 with filmmakers ranked CMS VATAVARAN amongst the top two environment and wildlife film festivals in the world.
CMS VATAVARAN aims to:
- Encourage environment films and forums that result in perception, practice and policy change.
- Enhance understanding of the natural world and its conservation.
- Stimulate production of high-quality films on wildlife, nature and environment.
- Nurture a new generation of alternate filmmakers to widen public dialogue and debate.
- Increase space for environmental issues in the mass media
- Strengthen collaboration between individuals, government, corporate, scientific and academic institutions on environment, conservation and sustainability issues.