62 films nominated for CMS Vatavaran awards

New Delhi, July 20 (UNI) A film on an Orissa king's palace that was on the ground 40 years ago, but is now four kilometres under the sea, or the one on pesticides in bottled water and soft drinks and another on challenges facing the Asiatic lions in Gujarat, are among 62 entries that will vie for honours at the Fourth CMS Vatavaran awards.

The CMS Vatavaran, an initiative of the Centre for Media Studies, is a biennial competitive and travelling festival of environmental and wildlife films, which inform, educate, foster knowledge, understanding and action on environment, wildlife issues or other socially relevant environment themes.

This year, 62 films have been selected for the final round, of which awards will be presented in ten Indian categories and six International categories.

In view of the climatic changes taking place at an alarming rate, the festival will, as its theme highlight climate change and its implications. This category has films on melting glaciers in Ladakh, Mumbai mega floods, apart from others.

The story about one Ambi jiji who always planted her crops on soil, where forests have been burnt, or the one on displacement of the fishing community in Mumbai caused by rampant land reclamation and increasing desertification are the various other issues that will be highlighted by the films.

Among the foreign entries are 'Just a lawn' which follows the evolution of the lawn from an 18th century British aristocratic gardening fashion to an iconic element of the North American suburban landscape, 'Acqua' which tells the story of the Nile, the longest river in the world and the most exploited and 'Tunnel' abou a small group of inner city residents of Perth who took on the combined fight of corporate and government interests.

Noted filmaker Mr Shyam Benegal will decide on the winners. The awards will be presented at a function on September 16.

UNI