National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) brings the first-ever URBAN CLIMATE FILM FESTIVAL to Chennai

24 July 2023: The National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) is bringing the first-ever Urban Climate Film Festival to Chennai from 27th to 29th July 2023.Launched in New Delhi in March 2023, the film festival is being organised through the CITIIS program. The Chennai edition of the festival is supported by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, the French Development Agency (AFD), the European Union, the Greater Chennai Corporation and the Chennai Smart City Limited.

The objectives of the festival are to:

- Employ the powerful medium of film to enlighten audiences about the environmental, social and economic impacts of climate change on urban settlements
- Spark conversations about building climate-resilient cities and invite inputs from the public

The global call for entries for the festival, launched in January 2023, hadreceived150 film submissions from 20 countries.These were evaluated by a jurythat comprised:

- Dr Surbhi Dahiya (Professor, Indian Institute of Mass Communication)
- Dr PranabPatar (Chief Executive, Global Foundation for Advancement ofEnvironment)
- Mr Sabyesachi Bharti (Deputy Director, CMS Vatavaran)

The Urban Climate Film Festival was launched in New Delhi in March 2023. The inaugural session was chaired by G20 Sherpa Mr Amitabh Kant. The festival thentravelled to Mumbai, Kolkata,and Ahmedabad, through the AllianceFran?aise network,where it received an overwhelming response from the cities? residents.
Each edition of the film festival showcased a curated selection of award-winningdocumentariesby adiverse pool of filmmakers from around the world. The screenings were complemented by panel discussions and engaging activities for audiences.
The Urban Climate Film Festival in Chennai
- The Urban Climate Film Festival in Chennaiwill be held at Alliance Fran?aise of Madrason 27th, 28th, and 29th July 2023.

- 17 films from 10 countries will be screened over three days, along with a panel discussion withDr Shekhar Kumar Niraj(IFS, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Secretary of Tamil Nadu Biodiversity Board), MsSonia Elizabeth Prasadam(Assistant Professor, Madras School of Social Work),andMr MuralikrishnanChinnadurai(Media professional and documentary filmmaker).

- The festival will close with a special ceremony and a cultural performance on 29th July,2023 at 4:30 pm.

Company :-National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA)

User :- Ila Singh

Email :-isingh@niua.org