Environment films get tve Award

Films on cultivating coffee sustainably, plastic pollution of oceans, and community media in India were among films that won prizes in 10 categories in the 2021 Global Sustainability Film Awards.

The annual awards are given out by the London-based tve (Television Trust for the Environment) with Blockchain World to outstanding films made by corporate entities, activist groups and non-profits. The films are chosen for inspiring audiences with doable solutions for sustainable and equitable growth.

The awards were announced earlier this month in London in ten categories selected from over 90 submissions from 27 countries. International jury panels shortlisted the films and the final awardees were selected by experts on environment and film.

“I am delighted to congratulate the worthy winners of the landmark 10th tve-GSFA. The global participation in these awards is a matter of great satisfaction indicating the increasing concern organizations and individuals have for the environment,” said Surina Narula of the GSFA.

The awards were judged on the basis of five criteria: creativity in storytelling, clarity of communication, audience engagement, relevance to current environmental concerns, and impact.

The ten films were effective in raising global awareness, changing public perception and inspiring action, tve said. GSFA seeks to promote effective, credible solutions-oriented storytelling about environmental and sustainability issues.

Among the winners was a documentary on how community video volunteers in India changed its activities to address the socio-economic challenges of the Covid pandemic that ravaged India earlier this year. The film, Fixing India: How Community Media Video Volunteers Changed During COVID 19 won in the the Adaptation and Resilience Short Film category.

“It is unique and different from other awards in that it is both a film awards and a sustainability awards — entries are judged on the power of their storytelling and creativity, as well as on the credibility and impact of their content,” it said, adding that the award categories recognized various types of sustainability issues and storytelling formats that sought to address different audiences.

The Young Filmmaker Award went to Hedvika Michnova (Czech Republic) for It's Bean Too Hot (UK); Financing Sustainability Award to Our Planet: Too Big To Fail (UK); Transforming Society Award to S.T.O.P. (Stop The Ocean Pollution) (Czech Republic); and Documentary Impact Award to Thank You for the Rain (UK).

The AI and Digital Innovation Award went to The Life Value of Energy (Singapore); Nature Based Solutions Award to Voice Above Water (US); Energy Transitions Award to NORCAP Energy: A Commitment to Communities (Norway); and Clean Transport Award to Swytch Your Bicycle.

The Founder's Award went to the film Passing, which shows how centuries on, race relations remain relevant in today's world. Jury chair Nick Nuttall said the films captured the breadth of challenges facing the planet, but also the spirit and ingenuity of so many individuals and communities determined to chart a better future.

“We believe our efforts will continue to add value to the resolution of climate change devastations,” tve Chair Mei-Sim Lai said in a statement.

The Winners:

Young Filmmaker Award Its Bean Too Hot (Hedvika Michnova, U.K.)

Adaptation & Resilience Fixing India: How Community Media Like Video Volunteers Changed During COVID-19 (Video Volunteers, India)

Nature Based Solutions Voice Above Water (Turning Tides Films, U.S.; Directed by Dana Frankoff)

Energy Transitions NORCAP Energy. A commitment for the communities (Panot Films and Norwegian Refugee Council, Norway)

Clean Transport Swytch—Your Bicycle. Electric. The World’s Smallest & Lightest eBike Conversion Kit (Swytch Technology, U.K.)

Financing Sustainability Our Planet: Too Big To Fail (WWF-UK & Silverback Films, U.K.)

Transforming Society S.T.O.P. (Stop The Ocean Pollution) (Plastic Oceans International, Czech Republic)

Documentary Impact Thank You for the Rain (Banyak Films, U.K.)

AI and Digital Innovation The Life Value of Energy (Bittwatt, Singapore)

Founder’s Award Passing

You can watch the films at: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYT7vD5He2VACQ-5jAzz54JXIIB5nVsD0