Tigerland India Film Festival
Tigerland India Film Festival (TIFF) is an environmental and wildlife film festival based in India. It is organized by a non-profit organization 'Society for Tigerland Conservation' and the aim of the festival is to spread awareness on wildlife conservation through visual media.
About TIFF
TIFF was founded in 2014. The Director and CEO of TIFF Abhinandan Shukla describes it as “a celebration of nature and wildlife” and “an annual event to honour commendable work in environmental and wildlife film-making aimed at creating conservation awareness”.
The festival is open to all and invites entries under various competitive categories mostly related to visual media. These include films, documentaries, short films, photographs, paintings and sketches. Recently, few more categories have been added. Winners are awarded at a grand function organized at the end of the annual fest.
TIFF 2015
TIFF 2015 was held at Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh (India) on August 26–27, 2015. The Bollywod legend Waheeda Rehman attended the festival and gave away the prizes. Renowned film-critic and writer Bhawana Somaaya, who is also the Honourary Chairperson of TIFF, presided over the event and delivered the inaugural address.
The event was attended by top bureaucrats from forest department besides wildlife experts, photographers, amateur filmmakers, school and college students, and young wildlife-lovers. Top forest officer and PCCF of Madhya Pradesh Shri Narendra Kumar gave his lecture as the Chief Guest of TIFF 2015. Chief Wildlife Warden Ravi Srivastava, APCCF Vinay Varman, PCCF Animesh Shukla, PCCF Suhas Kumar and MPCoST DG Pramod K Verma attended as special guests. On this occasion 'TIFF 2015 Yearbook' was also released by the dignitaries present.
Wildlife Photo-exhibition of Waheeda Rehman
The highlight of TIFF 2015 was the 'first-ever' wildlife photo exhibition of the wildlife clicks of Waheeda Rehman. About 40 wonderfully shot photographs mainly from India and Africa were displayed here. The Times of India covering the event in its main edition wrote, "Waheeda's best-kept secret out: She loves cameras & wields them in wild". The Pioneer wrote, "The visitors were awestruck with the wonderful pictures put up by her. Majorly students who have an interest in photography are visiting the exhibition. As the pictures showcase wildlife, the visitors got a chance to watch the jungles through this exhibition. This exhibition is a delicacy in extravagance to watch the pictures of animals in their most unseen positions.” <http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/bhopal/glimpses-of-waheedas-tryst-with-the-wildlife-on-show.html>
TIBCA 2015
The first 'Tigerland India Biodiversity Conservation Award' or TIBCA 2015 was also given on this occasion. PCCF Nagaland Shri M Lokeswara Rao received the award from Waheeda Rehman for his commendable work in the conservation of migratory bird Amur Falcon. http://www.thestatesman.com/mobi/news/northeast/nagaland-forest-officer-honoured/85528.html TIBCA is an annual award given for outstanding contribution in the field of conservation of biodiversity. The award consists of a certificate and trophy along with a cash prize of Rs 25000. http://www.nagalandpage.com/state/1487-pccf-hoff-nagaland-receives-tigerland-india-biodiversity-conservation-award-2015
TIFF 2016
TIFF 2016 has been declared on September 5, 2015 with several more competitive categories. Abhinandan says, "TIFF is basically for amateurs and young and aspiring wildlife filmmakers. We want more and more youngsters to participate and send their entries so that the world may know their take on these sensitive environmental issues. After all, it’s the young generation that will bear the brunt or reap the benefits depending on what we do today with Mother Nature!"
TIFF 2016 Competitive Categories
- Best Documentary
- Best Short Documentary
- Best Short Film
- Best Promotional Film on Conservation
- Best Wild Click
- Best Wild Art
- Best Investigative / Research Article
- Best Wild Travelogue
- Best Poem with Conservation Message
References
<"Waheeda Rehman attends Tigerland India Film Festival" Bollywood.com>
<"It's Tiger not Lion which is the real king of the jungle" The Free Press>
<"TIBCA 2015 awarded to PCCF & HoFF Nagaland" Nagaland Post, August 27, 2015>
<"Waheeda askd people to spread awareness about wildlife" Hindustan Times, Bhopal, August 27, 2015>
<"Waheeda Rehman at TIFF 2015" Outlook>
<"Glimpses of Waheeda's Tryst with wildlife" The Pioneer>
<"Ab seekh rahi hoon photography ki baareekiyan" Dainik Bhaskar, Bhopal, August 27, 2015>
<"Award for Nagaland Forest Official" TheTelegraph, Calcutta August 10, 2015>
<"Nagaland Forest Officer Honoured" North East Live>
<"Tigerland India Film Festival" Zee News>
<"TIBCA 2015" The North East Today>
<"Nagaland PCCF to get first TIBCA" Business Standard>
<"PCCF Nagaland receives TIBCA 2015" Nagaland Page>
<"Nagaland PCCF chosen for biodiversity conservation award" The Morung Express>
<"Waheeda ko tiger ka sabse acha pic Bandhavgarh mein mila" Patrika, Bhopal>
<"Nagaland Forest officer honoured" The Statesman>