Ecology Film Festival 2025
20-22 June, Chennai
20-22 June, Chennai
Curated by Amudhan RP
Jointly organised by Agaram Foundation, Discovery Book Palace, Periyar Self Respect Media & MARUPAKKAM
Schedule (subject to changes)
20 June; 5.30 pm to 8.30 pm ; Agaram Foundation
Indai Apai Darah
Dir: Kynan Tegar; 14:55 min; Documentary; Indonesia
Synopsis: A young girl growing up in the Indigenous-held forests of central Borneo follows ancient connections to earn the gift of a story - her People's 1973 fight to preserve their lands amid rampant deforestation.
The Taste of Honey
Dir: Mohammad Rakibul Hasan, Fabeha Monir; 15:00 min; Documentary; Bangladesh
Synopsis: A resilient tiger widow from the world’s largest mangrove forest, the Sundarbans (Bangladesh), Shorbanu Khatun, grapples with the relentless impacts of climate change, struggling to provide for her children while preserving the endangered traditions of honey and Gol leaf collecting amidst a world of increasing storms, salinity, and societal ostracism.
Topsy-Turvy
Dir: Mashrukur Rahman Khan; 26:50 min; Documentary; Bangladesh
Synopsis: Cyclone Remal rages on the coast of Patuakhali, the villagers are pushed through the edge to survive the storm.
Shopping Bag
Fracking the Contract
Dir: Sophie Rousmaniere; 40:00 min; Documentary; United States
Synopsis: In southern Portugal, where we some of the most beautiful beaches in all of Europe, major oil and gas companies acquired fossil fuel exploration contracts along its coast. João Camargo, activist and climate expert, Angela Rosa, a local farmer, and Laurinda Seabra, a former South African oil industry worker, are struggle to save their land and form community support groups.Taken as a true example of unity and civil force, the film raises up the following question can civic involvement make a difference? The answer is a resounding YES.
21 June; 11 am to 5 pm ; Discovery Book Palace
11 am
Tanya. Summer. Winter.
Dir: Aleksandr Avilov; 01:21:00 min; Documentary; Russian Federation
Synopsis: Tatyana Seminyako learned the language of forest and the philosophy of hunting before she learned how to read and write. From time immemorial, the ancestors of Tatyana and her husband lived on these lands fishing and hunting. When Tanya was very young, she was raised by her grandparents -– the Khanty. She taught her everything. After all, in the forest you do everything yourself. You eat what you caught; you wear what you sewed; you live in what you built. Tanya, her husband and children are Khanty.
The Khanty are a small indigenous Finno-Ugric people living in the north of Western Siberia. Population 31,500 people. This documentary film is about the life of Tanya and her family.
2 pm to 5 pm
PATROL
Dir: Camilo de Castro, Brad Allgood; 01:20:00 min; Documentary; Nicaragua
Synopsis: An emerging crisis in one of the last remaining rainforests in Central America ignites a heroic mission in PATROL. When illegal cattle ranchers decimate large swaths of rainforest, indigenous rangers join forces with an American conservationist and undercover journalists to expose the dark world of conflict beef.
The illusion of abundance
Dir: Erika Gonzalez Ramirez, Matthieu Lietaert; 60:25; Belgium; Documentary
11 am
The City Moves
Dir: Alfonso Palazón: 19:00 min; Documentary; Spain
Synopsis: We live in timeless cities that are transformed into modern cities that always evoke cities of the past. The buildings, the houses, the people are still there.
We need to continually rediscover the meaning of the city.
The city is many things: memories, desires, sharing, exchanges, places of hope... Cities grow with us like a love poem.
Life continues to breathe and we move forward.
Mentawai - Souls of the Forest
Dir: Joo Peter; 01:15:00; Indonesia; Documentary
The last indigenous people of Mentawai, a small archipelago south-west of Sumatra, are fighting with creative resistance to preserve their ancient culture and rainforest.A culture on the verge of extinction - with the latest geopolitical developments, the destruction of their habitat reaches the point of no return. Smashing the hopes of thirty years democratization in Indonesia, Jakarta in relapse to authoritarian rule is enforcing deforestation in Mentawai.
2 pm to 5 pm
Mekong Apocalypse
Dir: Michael Buckley; 55:35; Canada; Documentary
The Mekong River is the most productive in the world in terms of fish catch and supply of nutrient-rich sediment. It is the most important river in Asia. But all that is rapidly changing. This is a satirical personal take on ecosystem collapse along the mighty Mekong, with the biggest threat being Chinese megadams in Yunnan, SW China. The filmmaker shot this on the run, getting undercover footage of megadams and illegal sand-dredging. Drawing inspiration from water puppetry theatre in Vietnam, this film features characters like a talking glacier in Tibet, waltzing fish in Laos, and a talking sunflower in Vietnam to get complex concepts across.
Lago Escondido, soberanía en juego
Dir: Camilo Gómez Montero; 01:17:00 min; Documentary; Argentina
Synopsis: A group of Argentines try to reach Lake Escondido, in the south of their own country, where the British billionaire Joe Lewis has created a fiefdom of twelve thousand hectares that functions as a parallel state.
4.30 : Closing remarks and interaction
20 June; 5.30 pm to 8.30 pm ; Agaram Foundation
Guest Speakers :
Mr Amal Raj, filmmaker / teacher
Mr Eniyan, activist
Dr Shanthi
Prof Arul Aram
Ms Rose, activist
Indai Apai Darah
Dir: Kynan Tegar; 14:55 min; Documentary; Indonesia
Synopsis: A young girl growing up in the Indigenous-held forests of central Borneo follows ancient connections to earn the gift of a story - her People's 1973 fight to preserve their lands amid rampant deforestation.
The Taste of Honey
Dir: Mohammad Rakibul Hasan, Fabeha Monir; 15:00 min; Documentary; Bangladesh
Synopsis: A resilient tiger widow from the world’s largest mangrove forest, the Sundarbans (Bangladesh), Shorbanu Khatun, grapples with the relentless impacts of climate change, struggling to provide for her children while preserving the endangered traditions of honey and Gol leaf collecting amidst a world of increasing storms, salinity, and societal ostracism.
Topsy-Turvy
Dir: Mashrukur Rahman Khan; 26:50 min; Documentary; Bangladesh
Synopsis: Cyclone Remal rages on the coast of Patuakhali, the villagers are pushed through the edge to survive the storm.
Shopping Bag
Dir : MN Lipshiya; 4.31 min; Short fiction
Synopsis: An young boy is stunned to see his actions result in a disaster.
Fracking the Contract
Dir: Sophie Rousmaniere; 40:00 min; Documentary; United States
Synopsis: In southern Portugal, where we some of the most beautiful beaches in all of Europe, major oil and gas companies acquired fossil fuel exploration contracts along its coast. João Camargo, activist and climate expert, Angela Rosa, a local farmer, and Laurinda Seabra, a former South African oil industry worker, are struggle to save their land and form community support groups.Taken as a true example of unity and civil force, the film raises up the following question can civic involvement make a difference? The answer is a resounding YES.
21 June; 11 am to 5 pm ; Discovery Book Palace
Guest Speakers :
Mr Ajayan Bala, filmmaker / writer / publisher
Mr Arul Ezhilan, filmmaker / journalist / media person
Prof Barath Martin
Prof Sridevi
Prof Deepa
Ms AP Vanavil, student / researcher
11 am
Tanya. Summer. Winter.
Dir: Aleksandr Avilov; 01:21:00 min; Documentary; Russian Federation
Synopsis: Tatyana Seminyako learned the language of forest and the philosophy of hunting before she learned how to read and write. From time immemorial, the ancestors of Tatyana and her husband lived on these lands fishing and hunting. When Tanya was very young, she was raised by her grandparents -– the Khanty. She taught her everything. After all, in the forest you do everything yourself. You eat what you caught; you wear what you sewed; you live in what you built. Tanya, her husband and children are Khanty.
The Khanty are a small indigenous Finno-Ugric people living in the north of Western Siberia. Population 31,500 people. This documentary film is about the life of Tanya and her family.
2 pm to 5 pm
PATROL
Dir: Camilo de Castro, Brad Allgood; 01:20:00 min; Documentary; Nicaragua
Synopsis: An emerging crisis in one of the last remaining rainforests in Central America ignites a heroic mission in PATROL. When illegal cattle ranchers decimate large swaths of rainforest, indigenous rangers join forces with an American conservationist and undercover journalists to expose the dark world of conflict beef.
The illusion of abundance
Dir: Erika Gonzalez Ramirez, Matthieu Lietaert; 60:25; Belgium; Documentary
Despite a deeply unbalanced game, Maxima, Bertha and Carolina share a common goal: they are leading today';s environmental fight against modern corporate conquistadors. Whereas governments and corporations are trapped in a global race to get the cheapest raw materials, these three women tell us a story of tireless courage: how to keep fighting to protect nature when your life is at risk? When police repression, corporate harassment, injuries or even death threats are part of your daily routine?
22 June; 11 am to 5 pm; Periyar Thidal
22 June; 11 am to 5 pm; Periyar Thidal
Guest Speakers :
Mr A.S. Panneerselvan, journalist / writer
Mr Devaneyan, activist
Mr Prince Ennares Periyar, filmmaker / activist
Dr Roshini
Mr Rajakambeeran Abbas, poet / journalist
Mr Ulaga Cinema Bhaskaranan, filmmaker
Mr Senthil Kumaran, filmmaker
11 am
The City Moves
Dir: Alfonso Palazón: 19:00 min; Documentary; Spain
Synopsis: We live in timeless cities that are transformed into modern cities that always evoke cities of the past. The buildings, the houses, the people are still there.
We need to continually rediscover the meaning of the city.
The city is many things: memories, desires, sharing, exchanges, places of hope... Cities grow with us like a love poem.
Life continues to breathe and we move forward.
Mentawai - Souls of the Forest
Dir: Joo Peter; 01:15:00; Indonesia; Documentary
The last indigenous people of Mentawai, a small archipelago south-west of Sumatra, are fighting with creative resistance to preserve their ancient culture and rainforest.A culture on the verge of extinction - with the latest geopolitical developments, the destruction of their habitat reaches the point of no return. Smashing the hopes of thirty years democratization in Indonesia, Jakarta in relapse to authoritarian rule is enforcing deforestation in Mentawai.
2 pm to 5 pm
Mekong Apocalypse
Dir: Michael Buckley; 55:35; Canada; Documentary
The Mekong River is the most productive in the world in terms of fish catch and supply of nutrient-rich sediment. It is the most important river in Asia. But all that is rapidly changing. This is a satirical personal take on ecosystem collapse along the mighty Mekong, with the biggest threat being Chinese megadams in Yunnan, SW China. The filmmaker shot this on the run, getting undercover footage of megadams and illegal sand-dredging. Drawing inspiration from water puppetry theatre in Vietnam, this film features characters like a talking glacier in Tibet, waltzing fish in Laos, and a talking sunflower in Vietnam to get complex concepts across.
Lago Escondido, soberanía en juego
Dir: Camilo Gómez Montero; 01:17:00 min; Documentary; Argentina
Synopsis: A group of Argentines try to reach Lake Escondido, in the south of their own country, where the British billionaire Joe Lewis has created a fiefdom of twelve thousand hectares that functions as a parallel state.
4.30 : Closing remarks and interaction
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