Goemkarponn desk
PANAJI: The opening ceremony of the first edition of the Environmental Film Festival was held at Maquinez Palace, ESG Complex.
The film festival, which highlights global issues related to the environment, was inaugurated by Nilesh Cabral, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, and Shri Sanjit Rodrigues, Secretary(Protocol) and Nodal Officer of G20 (Goa), and Mahesh Patil, Chairman of Goa State Pollution Control Board.
The inaugural was followed by the screening of the opening film, ‘The Elephant Whisperers’, directed by Kartiki Gonsalves. The film won the Oscar Award for Best Documentary. The director of the film was congratulated at the inaugural function along with the presentation of tokens for all directors of films chosen to be screened at the festival until Monday, June 5.
Speaking at the inaugural of the Environmental Film Festival, Shri Nilesh Cabral, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, said: “We are here today to inaugurate and celebrate 50 films dedicated to the environment from the G20 countries and the state”. He also lauded the dedicated efforts of Nodal officer Sanjit Rodrigues who has been overseeing the G20 meetings in Goa.
Sanjit Rodrigues, Secretary (Protocol) and Nodal Officer G20, said, “I think the environment is a very dear subject and a very touchy subject too. As we are working with such a fervour towards nine meetings of G20 in Goa, we thought that there should be a connection with the local population here. And thus the film festival was an idea put forward which unites people here.”
He further said that films like these show what is happening across countries with issues related to the environment, and these countries tackle them. “Film is a great medium to bring such awareness to our level, and is a medium which is acceptable to all. And at the same time, we have brought in the local Goan perspective at this film festival. It will help us see how we fare in this medium. I’m happy that the response towards this festival has been overwhelming,” Rodrigues said.
Films from various countries like Ireland- ‘Between Land and Sea’, and ‘Bog Graffiti’, Canada – ‘Metamorphosis’, and ‘Hadwin’s Judgement’, and Finland -‘Tale of Sleeping Giants’ will be represented by their respective embassies along with other nations like Spain – ‘Alcatraz’, Bulgaria- ‘Antarctica’, Russia- ‘To See a Snow Leopard’, Republic of Croatia -‘Extracurricular’, Portugal – ‘Un Mar de lixo’, and others.
Besides there is also a package of environmental films from Oman that will be screened here at the Environmental Film Festival.
The logo for the Environmental Film Festival has been widely appreciated. The logo installation that can be seen in the ESG Complex has been developed with the idea of focusing on using plastic waste and inspiring people about how the use of plastic waste can become an integral part of our daily routine.
The plastic waste stuffed inside the text also illustrates the urgency to think about recycling and repurposing plastic waste. Besides, it also demonstrates how we can use waste material to make an art installation that may only last for a while but creates awareness in the public space.
The film festival will culminate on World Environment Day.
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