The Perspectives on Pastoralism Film Festival will deepen understanding of how diverse peoples across the world gain their livelihoods from extensive livestock production. The relationships of pastoralist people and animals and their food production systems reflect an intimate intertwining of culture, economy and ecology in highly variable environments such as drylands and mountainous regions. In such environments, mobility of animals plays a key role. Films of multiple genres - spanning documentary, narrative and experimental - made by pastoralists and/or about pastoralists offer different insights into issues important to pastoralists.
The Third Edition is organized as part of the build-up to the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists in 2026 (https://iyrp.info/). In addition to general films, there will be special themed focus areas: 1) Pastoralist women and girls, 2) Camelid husbandry (in the lead-up to the International Year of Camelids 2024), and 3) Biodiversity & Nature Conservation. A pre-selection of films will be accepted on a rolling basis, as submissions are received.
Camelids Theme (due by Dec. 6th, 2023)
We are seeking documentary films about camelids (one- and two-humped camels, alpacas, llamas, vicuñas and guanacos) and the pastoralist communities that keep camelids, to be screened during the International Year of Camelids in 2024. Also films about how camelid keepers are involved in value chains/webs for camelid products are welcome.
Biodiversity and Nature Conservation Theme (due by June 4, 2024)
Pastoralists are stewards and often creators of rangeland biodiversity through their careful husbandry of herds and grazing land. We seek films that recognise pastoralists as custodians of this rich biodiversity, such as films on pastoralists’ knowledge on biodiversity related to both plants and animals, livestock–wildlife interactions and fire management in rangelands, as well as pastoralist community involvement in governance of biodiversity conservation compatible with pastoralist livelihoods, including income from tourism and ecosystem services.
Pastoralist women and girls theme (due by Sept. 4, 2024)
A sub-group of the Interational Year of Rangelands and Pastoralism focused on Gender and Pastoralism will take part in the review process for films in this theme. More information is forthcoming about related events.
General (last date Sept. 4, 2024)
Films that generally fit the festival description but that do not necessarily belong to a particular theme.
Please email us at maziwa.ngombe@gmail.com if you have questions or need to share your films in an alternative format (youtube or vimeo links).