Documentary film by Arunachal tribe earns nominations at Paris film festival

A 29-minute documentary on conservation of a rare bird species by a tribal community in Arunachal Pradesh has earned two nominations at an environmental film festival which is slated to be held in Paris in December.

The movie, Wildlife Our Lifeblood, directed and produced by politician-turned-filmmaker Naresh Glow, has been nominated in the best film and best director categories at the 15th International Wildlife Conservation Documentary Film Festival.

Besides, the film has also been selected for screening at the 13th International Kuala Lumpur Eco Film Fest, 2020.

“This is the only Indian documentary nominated in the Paris film festival and one of the three movies from the country to be screened in the Kuala Lumpur event,” Glow said. He said this is his second documentary featuring the contributions of the Bugun tribe to wildlife conservation by setting up a community reserve in Singchung village in Tenga Valley of West Kameng district.

“The Singchung Bugun Village Community Reserve, spread over 17 sq-km area, abuts the Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary, a home to Bugun Liocichla bird,” he said.

The bird species is classified as “critically endangered” by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, he said.

Glow, a three-time MLA from Thrizino-Buragaon Assembly segment, claimed that the bird is found only in Arunachal Pradesh and the size of its population is small.

The Bugun Liocichla was first spotted here by naturalist Ramana Athreya in 1995, he said.

“The bird derives its name from the Bugun community and efforts are on to protect it. I had decided to make this film highlighting their conservation practice,” Glow, one of the founders of the community reserve, said.

The 15th edition of the International Wildlife Conservation Documentary Film Festival 2020 will be held from December 1-7 at Caf de la Gare in Paris. The KLEFF 2020 will be screening 53 films on its digital screening platform, he said. It will be held from October 8 to 11.