Today, the topic of the environment has become a focal point of debate more than ever before. It needs our attention and our participatory concern for its betterment. What better way to draw people's attention towards subjects related to all living things environmental other than the medium of cinema. After all, it is the most accepted form of communication.
The All Living Things Environmental Film Festival is India’s only and first environment cinema-based festival. Now in its 2nd year, the festival has roped in a great jury this year including internationally acclaimed photographer and filmmaker Micheal Snyder, six-time National Award-winning filmmaker Anand Patwardhan, and Amin Hajee.
This year the festival had 44 films from 31 countries being screened - all themed around topics of environment, conservation, climate change, and other related matters. What's more, Sophy Vsivaraman, who is the head of the India Documentary Foundation, has joined the advisory board this year along with the legendary environmental docu filmmaker Mike Pandey.
Speaking of the winners, each director brought in a fresh perspective towards issues pertaining to the environment and all its ancillary factors. The categories included International Shorts where the film Shaba, focused on wildlife conservation of elephants, directed by Ami Vitale won people's hearts and the award. Moving forward, in the category of International Features, two films took home the directorial honours. Ophir focused on the heart-breaking colonization of an indigenous community, directed by the duo, Alexandre Berman, Olivier Pollet, and Youth v Gov focused on the American youth taking on the world's most powerful government, directed by Christi Cooper.
In the category of Indian Shorts, director duo Dheeraj Aithal, and Pradeep Hegde focused on the fate of an animal that has been omnipresent in the fabric of Indian society- the frog. It won the attention of people and the award. Moving on to the category of Indian Features, the winner, Moti Bagh directed by Nirmal Chander, is the heart-wrenching tale of Uttarakhand's ghost villages. Last but not the least, in the category of Student Films, budding director Ellie Stones took home the award for her dedicated effort in the film, The Pangolin Man, trying to save the most illegally traded mammal in the world; the pangolin.
Kunal Khanna, the co-founder of the festival, described the ALT EFF as a platform that focuses on highlighting the issues of climate change and the environment. A social innovator himself, Kunal is of the opinion that we must challenge the issues that are eroding the environment, talk about them more often to draw awareness which will lead to participation. Cinema is the quickest way to draw eyeballs and kickstart a conversation. He hopes to make ALT EFF a defining platform for environmentalists and moviemakers, where each one can help the other bring forth ideas and see to their successive narration.
Speaking on the occasion, Oscar nominee Nirmal Chander congratulated the team of ALT EFF for creating a platform that allows environmentalists and moviemakers to work together to form a unified voice for the environment.
Talking about his film, Nirmal says, "In a world where there is no dearth of content anymore, it is sometimes difficult to get people to notice your work. The battle is all the more difficult if one is not catering to pop culture. Moti Bagh was not an easy process. It is an honest depiction of the plight of the villages in Uttarakhand. He is happy the jury at ALT EFF believed in his work and the world will now know about it because of his Oscar nomination. It just makes things a lot easier, says the elated Oscar nominee."
The directors of Ophir, Alexandre Berman, and Olivier Pollet also took to the occasion to congratulate Mr. Kunal Khanna and his entire team for bringing ALT EFF to life and providing a platform to showcase environmental filmmaking talent, and bringing forth conversations on the environment. "Life is much more than cinematic pleasure alone. Yes, cinema is an entertaining activity one indulges in but it is also a medium to speak up about important issues, the ones which may otherwise be hidden in plain sight, and in fact affect all of us. We are excited to have this platform to share these stories."
Here’s a complete list of the nominees in each category:
International Shorts:
Shaba - Directed by Ami Vitale (Winner)
The Tracker - Directed by Sarah Menzies (Finalist)
Sky Aeleans - Directed by Georgianna Lepping, Jeremy Gwao, Regina Lepping, Zahiyd Namo, Junior Patrick Makau, Manner Lévo, Neil Nuia, Daniel Kakadi, Edward Manuga (Finalist)
International Features:
Ophir - Directed by Alexandre Berman, Olivier Pollet (Winner)
Youth v Gov - Directed by Christi Cooper (Winner)
To Which We Belong - Directed by Pamela Tanner Boll and Lindsay Richardson (Finalist)
The Wall of Shadows - Directed By Eliza Kubarska (Finalist)
Indian Shorts:
The Last Hop(e) - Directed by Dheeraj Aithal and Pradeep Hegde(Winner)
Your Tiger, Our Forest - Directed by Ishan Sharma (Finalist)
Sagarputra: Offspring of the Sea - Directed by Pooja Das Sarkar (Finalist)
Indian Features:
MOTI BAGH - Directed by Nirmal Chander (Winner)
Moving Upstream: Ganga - Directed by Shridhar Sudhir (Finalist)
A Rifle and a Bag - Directed by Isabella Rinaldi, Cristina Hanes, and Arya Rothe (Finalist)
Student Films:
The Pangolin Man - Directed by Ellie Stones (Winner)
Dhivarah - Directed by Giridhar Nayak K (Finalist)
Solastalgia - Directed by Gabrielė Urbonaitė (Finalist)
Rahul’s casual dismissal of that controversy has added fuel to the fire
Rahul Bhatt sparks controversy over 'insensitive' remarks about sisters Alia and Pooja Bhatt
Rahul Bhatt, fitness trainer and son of veteran filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt, has found himself at the centre of a social media storm following controversial remarks about his half-sister, Alia Bhatt. In a recent interview, Rahul drew comparisons between Alia and their older sister Pooja Bhatt, calling the latter more talented, attractive, and principled.
The comments, which many have labelled inappropriate and insensitive, have sparked widespread criticism online. During the interview, Rahul stated, “In my opinion, she (Alia) is not even half of what my real sister Pooja is. Not in talent, not in looks, not in terms of being sexy. In front of my sister, she is ‘paani kam chai’ (watery tea). Amongst the siblings, the most talented and the most moralistic is Pooja.”
Social media users reacted strongly, questioning why Rahul would compare his sisters in such personal terms. Several users were particularly disturbed by his reference to their appearance and sex appeal, pointing out that such comparisons within a family cross boundaries of propriety. One comment read, “This is disturbing. Why talk about your sisters like that? It’s not just weird, it’s wrong.” Another post said, “There’s nothing respectful about comparing your siblings’ attractiveness in public.”
The backlash also reignited conversation around a decades-old controversy involving Mahesh Bhatt and Pooja Bhatt. Rahul was asked about the infamous 1990s magazine cover where the father-daughter duo shared a kiss, which had stirred public outrage at the time. Dismissing the criticism, Rahul said, “It doesn’t make any difference. It’s like water off a duck’s back. We know the truth, and we’ve seen everything since childhood.”
Rahul’s casual dismissal of that controversy has added fuel to the fire, with critics saying it reflects a broader issue of the Bhatt family being insensitive to public perception and boundaries. Many users questioned the need for bringing up old incidents in a bid to defend new and equally questionable statements.
As of now, neither Alia Bhatt nor Pooja Bhatt has issued any public response to Rahul’s remarks. Both actors, known for their significant contributions to Indian cinema, have typically kept family matters private despite living in the public eye.
This episode has also sparked debate over the role of public figures in maintaining respect when discussing family matters in the media. Observers say such comments, especially when involving women’s appearance and personal qualities, reinforce problematic attitudes and fuel unnecessary controversies.
While Rahul Bhatt is not as prominent in the entertainment industry as his father or sisters, his comments have made headlines and placed the Bhatt family in the spotlight for reasons beyond their creative work. For many, this serves as a reminder that public platforms come with responsibility, and that family ties should not be trivialised or dissected for attention or comparison.
The backlash is unlikely to subside soon, especially as fans and followers of Alia and Pooja continue to express disappointment over the way the situation has unfolded. Whether or not Rahul chooses to clarify or apologise remains to be seen.