Dear Filmmakers,

On behalf of the CMS VATAVARAN team, I am glad to personally welcome you to the 12th edition of CMS VATAVARAN – International Environment and Wildlife Film Festival, scheduled for February 2024 in India.

CMS VATAVARAN is a pioneering international festival of films on the environment and wildlife, initiated in 2002. Using films as a window to delve into nature, the festival showcases the best of Indian and International films and documentaries, presenting nature stories from all over the world, stories on critical ecological and developmental challenges faced today, some of the most compelling practices, as well as enchanting snippets on the diversity of our planet. Do go thru our website for more details and for visiting our previous festivals and efforts to enhance understanding of the natural world and its conservation.

By sending your film to this unique festival, you get a unique opportunity for showcasing your films across a wide variety of platforms and stakeholders. Nominated films of CMS VATAVARAN travel across India and the world to various other festivals, seminars, theatres, universities, television channels and forums. The aim is not only to showcase these films among film lovers, critics, buyers, and broadcasters, but also to policymakers, scientists, experts, media, students and communities interested in participating in efforts to conserve and preserve our environment or to address contemporary environmental issues.

CMS VATAVARAN is also respected widely for the high standards it has set in the judging of films – the impartiality of the process and involvement of eminent personalities from across a wide spectrum. Selection of your film in this festival will therefore be an acknowledgement of your creativity and ingenuity, in addition to opening doors to new learning and opportunities.

We look forward to receiving your film at this acclaimed film festival and hope your film is nominated and also wins the prestigious CMS VATAVARAN Awards.

Do join us for an exciting, vibrant and fruitful festival in February 2024. I am sure you will really find participation in this festival worthwhile and inspiring.

Thank you for being part of this green movement for influencing policy, perception and practice!

P N Vasanti, PhD
Director General, CMS
www.cmsindia.org

Awards & Prizes
There are 16 awards in 8 Indian and International categories. Indian awards carry a citation trophy and money ranging from INR 25,000 to 1,00,000. International awards carry a citation and a trophy.

Thematic Award Categories
There will be one award in each (National & International) of the thematic categories:

1. Water Conservation
Awarded to productions that provide insights into the linkages between climate change and water issues, and the need for sustainable conservation practices for addressing water equity. Films may showcase water struggles in a world dealing with global warming, climate variability, food and health insecurity, desertification, biodiversity loss, and environmental damage. On these themes, the film can also highlight compelling stories on technology use, sustainable lifestyles, indigenous practices, or policy interventions.

2. Environment Conservation
Awarded to the production of creating awareness about environmental issues concerning the natural world i.e. conservation of natural resources like water, biodiversity, soil, & atmosphere linked with protected areas, pollution, waste management, mining, traditional knowledge and innovative practices, etc., thereby focusing on combating destructive development projects, influencing environmental policies and striving for environmental justice.

3. Wildlife Conservation
Awarded to a production that most effectively sensitizes the audience about faunal diversity, animal behaviour and social, environmental, and economic aspects of man and wildlife relationship. The films can depict successes, conflicts, trade, crime, wildlife governance, legislations, and court interventions, or profile the great defenders of wildlife in the country.

4. Climate Change – Adaptation & Mitigation
Awarded to the production which contributes to the current scientific understanding of climate change, its impacts on ecosystems, agriculture, food security, health, and human settlements, especially in the coastal areas or global politics of climate change. Films should emphasize the portfolio of strategies that include mitigation, adaptation, and technological development that are required to diminish the risk associated with climate change. The cost-effectiveness of actions to tackle the impacts of climate change can also be considered.

5. Livelihoods & Sustainable Technologies
Awarded to the film that highlights those fighting for protecting the natural assets and/or renewable energy such as land, water and forest, which are so intrinsically linked to their livelihood and survival and/or renewable energy in almost all areas of human living, including energy generation, water use, building construction, health, food production, transportation and mobility, commerce and industry etc.

General Award Categories

6. Corporate and CSR films
Awarded to the Film most effectively depicting one or more aspects of recent environmental corporate citizenship initiatives. All companies are eligible to participate regardless of size or location.

7. Amateur & Student Films
Awarded to the Film most effectively communicates environment and wildlife conservation and produced by a first-time film-maker amateur i.e. upcoming filmmaker/individual, college student/ group of college students of film-making or even school students

8. Short Films on Conservation
Awarded to the films that educate or inform the public about the different aspects of all the Thematic Award Categories at large. Duration, not more than 5 minutes. The film must highlight the issue or convey a conservation message.

CMS VATAVARAN – RULES AND REGULATIONS
The Rules and Regulations and Terms of Entry as contained in this document will govern the 12th CMS VATAVARAN - Environment and Wildlife Film Festival and will hereafter be referred to as the CMS VATAVARAN – Rules and Regulations. Please read the CMS VATAVARAN – Rules and Regulations carefully before submitting the entries.
Film entries must meet the following criteria:
QUALIFYING DATES: Films must have been completed on or after January 1, 2020, and/or must carry a release date or copyright date or airdate during the calendar year 2020 to 2023.
DURATION OF THE FILMS
The film submitted cannot exceed 60 minutes in length for all the film categories.
JUDGING AND EXHIBITION COPY LANGUAGES
Entries are invited in all languages. Non-English and Non-Hindi language productions must include an English voiceover or subtitles stitched in the movie file itself.
EXHIBITION AND JUDGING FORMAT
All films are required to be submitted in H.264 HD Format in Pen Drive/ Hard Disk/ Vimeo/Google Download Link.
PRESS KIT AND FESTIVAL DIRECTORY
Please include High-Resolution Photographs (JPEG, TIFF or EPS formats). The following will be required for the press kit and Festival Directory; (a) Production stills (5); (b) Director’s photograph (2); (c) Poster, press clippings, brochures pamphlets etc. (optional);
All the above is to be sent by email or in a Pen Drive along with the duly filled form and other required enclosures.
DELIVERY
Courier payment formalities should be completed before materials are dispatched. CoD (Cash on Delivery) will not be accepted.
CREDIT
Names on the Credit roll must match those in the Entry Form. Entries can be submitted by the producer, co-producer, commissioner, broadcaster, director or any individual/ organization that has the right to submit the entry.
BROADCAST OPPORTUNITY
All shortlisted and nominated films will be eligible for broadcast on select television channels. The broadcast right includes, but is not limited to, terrestrial TV, direct or indirect satellite TV, and digital and cable television. Payment for broadcast will be on prevailing rates negotiated with the respective broadcaster.

PAYMENT OPTIONS

ENTRY FEE is non-refundable.

INDIA: ENTRY FEE may be paid by DD/ Cheque or Credit Card

INTERNATIONAL: ENTRY FEE must either be paid by Bank Transfer or Credit Card (VISA) using the festival website www.cmsvatavaran.org

MODE OF PAYMENT
Bank transfer details for entries sent offline
(Please check the applicable Entry Fee from the Entry Guidelines)
Account Holder: Centre for Media Studies
Bank Name: BANK OF INDIA
Branch: SAKET
Bank ID: BANK OF INDIA
Branch ID: 6045
Account No. Current Account No. 604510100012779
Address: YWA HOSTEL BUILDING, AVENUE-21, SAKET, NEW DELHI-110017
Swift Code: BKIDINBBNPL (International Entrant)
IFSC Code: BKID0006045 (Indian Entrant)

Payment

Bank Transfer
(Please intimate submission@cmsvatavaran.org regarding the Bank Transfer payment details).

Credit Card
For offline credit card (VISA) payment, you need not give us Credit Card details. Please email your request to submission@cmsvatavaran.org mentioning PAYMENT in the Subject Line. With details like (Name, address, state, pin code, contact no – phone and mobile and email address for generating the electronic invoice). An electronic invoice will be sent to you. You may click this invoice to make the payment securely.

Note: For all other Credit Card types (MASTER CARD/ VISA), please enter ONLINE ONLY using the services of our Festival Submission Partner, https://filmfreeway.com.

For Bank Transfer Details please refer to ENTRY FORM, section - MODE OF PAYMENT (INTERNATIONAL ENTRANTS).

GENERAL
1. One film can be entered into one category only. Multiple entries in separate categories are welcome.

2. Films cannot exceed 60 minutes in length.

3. Films may be of any genre – documentary, fiction or non-fiction etc., however, they must be based on environmental and wildlife issues.

4. Entrants may submit more than one film. Each film must be accompanied by a separate ENTRY FEE and ENTRY FORM.

5. Film(s), previously submitted to CMS VATAVARAN, or modified versions of previous entries will not be entertained.

6. CMS will not be responsible for any loss or damage to any films. All films and related materials may be insured by the entrant against any damage or loss which may occur during transit or in the course of the festival.

7. CMS reserves the right to shift a film to a more suitable category and the entrant will be duly informed about the change.

8. CMS reserves the right to exclude films which are not in conformity with the aims of the Festival or produced in ways which do not respect living creatures, their behaviour and their habitats.

9. The screening committee of the Festival will decide the composition of the events, protocol and screening schedules of the Festival.

10. Exhibition copy formats submitted to the Festival will not be returned and will be a part of the CMS VATAVARAN archives. Please do not submit originals (original DVD, original tape, print photographs etc).

11. The trophies and the citations of international winners will be handed over to the filmmakers/designated representatives only. Request for the trophy and citation to be shipped/ couriered to the filmmaker’s native country, will not be entertained.
12. Please preview your entries before shipping. Programs with time codes or other defects may be disqualified. NO REFUNDS.

13. The decision of the Nomination Jury and the Award Jury shall be final and no correspondence will be entertained in this regard.

14. The Jury reserves the right to withhold an award in any category for which there is an insufficient number of qualifying submissions, or to create new awards for films deserving of special recognition.

15. CMS has the right to change any information contained in this document (including festival dates, venues, events, awards and eligibility requirements) without further notice.
16. Please thoroughly review the CMS VATAVARAN- Rules and Regulations, Category Information and Entry Form included in this Performa.

17. Submission of entries implies full acceptance of the CMS VATAVARAN – Rules and Regulations, Guidelines and Terms of Entry.

18. All matters regarding the Festival will be decided by the Festival Directorate and its decision in these matters shall be final.

19. All matters not mentioned in these regulations will be decided by the Festival Directorate. The discretion to make an exception to any rules and regulations of the festival will rest with the Festival Directorate.

20. All disputes are subjected to the exclusive jurisdiction of competent courts and forums in Delhi only.

21. Copyright CMS. All rights are reserved throughout the world. Reproduction of this form, or any other CMS VATAVARAN material, in any manner is strictly prohibited.

JUDGING PROCESS

Judging at CMS VATAVARAN is a three-tier process. It consists of Peer Review, Nomination Jury and Award Jury. A panel of Nomination Jury reviews and decides on the CMS VATAVARAN Nominees. The Award Jury selects the award winners from the Nominated films. The Jury looks for content, treatment, presentation, authenticity, accuracy, technical excellence, educational value and motivational elements. Both, the

The nomination Jury and the Award Jury consist of a panel of experts and professionals from diverse backgrounds such as environmental wildlife, film production, academicians, media, Industry representatives, cinema and advertising world etc. of national and international repute.

Send the entry form with all enclosures to:

CMS VATAVARAN,
RESEARCH HOUSE, Saket Community Centre
New Delhi – 110 017, INDIA
P: 91-11-2686 4020, 2685 1660 F: 91-11-2696 8282

For submission related inquiry, please contact:
Mr. Sabyesachi Bharti
M: +91 9818367459 / submission@cmsvatavaran.org

For all Festival related queries and information please write to:
info@cmsvatavaran.org

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Carolina feity

    I’m grateful for this amazing opportunity. Thanks!!

    March 2024
  • hoon sik Oh

    아쉽게 수상은 못했지만 의미 있는 영화제에 출품할 수 있어 기뻤습니다.
    다음 시즌에는 더 좋은 작품으로 찾아가겠습니다.

    March 2024
  • Thanks for this great festival.

    March 2024
  • Previlaged to be part of this Prestigious Festival with a 'definite cause'.

    March 2024
  • James Khangenbam

    It is an ultimate festival with a cause and a well set goals with the right roadmaps to achieving its objectives.

    March 2024