Screening of wildlife films.

As a part of our conservation education and awareness programme in Saiha region (Mizoram) we have been screening wildlife films for the participants. Students and their teachers (of classes 5, 6 and 7) and members of village councils (elected representatives at the village level) and youth associations consist the participants.

Film screening is one of the tools used in the programme in conjunction with presentations, colouring/ sketching and discussion sessions. The films to be screened are selected depending on the subject we are then discussing with the participants. Recently we have screened Sekhar Dattatri’s films: ‘Nagarahole – Tales from an Indian jungle’ and ‘Point Calimere – Little kingdom by the coast’.

The idea behind screening of these films is to stimulate the sensitivities of participants on wildlife and get them alive to the issues in the region. This, of course, is backed by the educative value of these films.

Prior to screening a film for the participants; 2 to 5 screenings, depending on the need, are held at our field base. A list of the species depicted in the film is prepared. This list is then bifurcated into species occurring in the region and others. For the species occurring in the region corresponding local names are collated. These could be in Mizo, Mara or Lai languages. Elementary information on these species is looked up in the field guides (mammals and birds as the case presents) and relevant pages in the field guides are book marked. During the screening participants are prompted to share the local names of select species and are also shown the relevant pages in the field guides. At times we cut down on the length of the film by screening only the portion that is relevant to the subject under discussion.

Screenings for members of village councils and youth associations are many times organized on television sets at residence of one of the members; time and place being decided by them. However, at most of the schools the screenings are organized on our laptop. Laptops are of great utility in these schools that are bereft of electricity connection. Since the length of these films usually varies from 30 to 60 minutes and class size ranges from 10 to 25, both the battery life and the screen size at congenial to the activity. During screenings at Donbosco school however we have put to use a projector and ourselves have felt the thrill on seeing the impact.

During these screenings participants have asked if Palak Lake (wetland like Point Calimere and recognized as Important Bird Area) would have the water fowl as depicted in the film. One seeing Spotted dove (Streplopelia chinensis) and Wild pigs (Sus scrofa) an expression of familiarity dawned on their faces and they told us of the species occurring in the region. Primates with their swinging and scratching generated maximum vocal response followed by the dung beetle at work. Elephants (Elephas mamimus) bathing and trumpeting too were followed by lot of chattering amongst the participants. Saiha, where we work, literally means “ivory” in Mizo language! At Donbosco school while the students requested us to show another film the next time we visit them one of their teachers came up after the screening and requested for a copy of the film that he could show it to his children !

Two reactions I recall with fondness. They bring out the connect these films, despite depicting places far away from the region, made with the participants. During the Point Calimere film I saw a boy, sitting in the corner of the first row, taking aim at the water fowl on the screen with an imaginary catapult in his hand while during the Nagarahole film I also saw a girl cover her face with her notebook when the Wild dogs (Cuon alpinus) bit into the then alive Spotted deer (Axis axis).

Wide eyed and open mouthed students; institution members not getting up to smoke even after the film is over and a few other indicators have brought forth the fact that films are loved by participants. This is an activity the participants don’t feel subjected to despite the commentary in the films being in a language that many of them are not comfortable with.

We thank all our participants for giving us the opportunity to screen these films and also Sekhar Dattatri for sharing his films.

For details email – Nimesh.ved@gmail.com or call 94361 56458