Among the winners of the annual TVe Global Sustainability Film Awards (GSFA) are a documentary film about the redemption of an Assamese poacher turned gamekeeper and another about water conservation in Cherrapunji.
The Vice News documentary “Bad Blood,” which chronicles the tale of a former rhinoceros murderer who has devoted his life to animal protection, won the Greener Living Award at a ceremony held here on Tuesday. The Trustee Choice Award went to the second Indian winner, “Water for Life” by Green Hub, for its compelling message of water conservation.
Surina Narula, an Indian-origin philanthropist and the founder of the awards, said, “We had more than 70 films from 20 countries this year and the quality of the films participating in these awards is a matter of great satisfaction, as this indicates the success we have had in getting more organisations and individuals to actively engage in the conversation on global sustainability over the last 11 years.”
In support of the Iranian women who are demonstrating for their rights and independence, Narula donned a T-shirt with the revolutionary phrase “Woman-Life-Freedom” to the awards ceremony.
The Founder’s Award was given this year to two films that depict the struggle for rights in keeping with the theme of freedom: the feature film “Call Jane,” which centres on abortion rights in the US, and the documentary “The Territory,” directed by Alex Pritz and set in the Brazilian Amazon rainforest. Freedom is one of the principles that I hold most dear as the creator of these awards, continued Narula.
An international judging group made up of experts in sustainability and cinema from across the world chose the winners. Nick Nuttal, chair of the TVe GSFA 2022 jury, said, “The films we judged and awarded were undoubtedly inspirational but also told fascinating stories that reflect both the threats, and importantly the solutions, to climate change and the loss of animal and plant life up to how to build sustainable livelihoods.”
