Three-day film festival to take you through nature

Over 2000 films from 116 countries makes the third Kolkata International Wildlife and Environment Film Festival a truly spectacular journey into the world of nature and beauty. The three-day festival begins on December 15 with the felicitation of Dr Prakash Baba Amte and Dr Mandakini Amte who will also inaugurate the festival.

"We are really thankful to the selection committee for their dedication and effort in selecting films, as we have received 2300 films from 116 countries. This year, India tops the list with 391 films. However, special mention has to be made about Iran, the USA, Italy and Turkey from where 262, 192, 108 and 88 incredible films have come in respectively. From these huge numbers of entries, the screening committee led by noted actor and wildlife enthusiast Debashree Roy, Green Oscar Winner Wildlife Filmmaker and Executive Director of KIWEFF, Aswika Kapur and veteran Indian cricketer Arun Lal finalized 66 films for screening," said Aditya Lal Mukherjee, Director, KIWEFF.

This year the festival will have six categories. Feature film, Short film, Animation film, documentaries, and public service announcements will remain like every year, while this year, KIWEFF has introduced a special category for students too. Debasree Roy, Chief Advisor of the festival said, "This festival is unique in nature as entries are free to all. This year, we will be paying tribute to noted social activist Dr Prakash Baba Amte and his wife, Dr Mandakini Amte. This power couple runs Amte's Animal Ark, a wildlife sanctuary, which is an orphanage for young wild animals that have lost their parents to tribal people only for food. KIWEFF will award life time achievement award to this power couple."

Sourav Ganguly is the Chief Supporter of KIWEFF, while Sabyasachi Chakraborty is the KIWEFF Steering Committee Member. Soumitra Chattopadhyay, Dada Saheb Phalke winner, is the Chairman of KIWEFF.