RARE India, which is a community of some of the finest conscious luxury boutique hotels, palace stays, wildlife lodges, homestays and retreats in India and the subcontinent, has come on board the All Living Things Environmental Film Festival (ALT EFF) 2021 as a ‘Supporting and Travel Partner’. The partnership brings together a shared vision towards fighting the looming environmental crisis, with similarities in synergy and ideology.
Four wildlife lodges from the RARE India Community have also joined hands with the film festival as Supporting Sponsors. These properties include the Jamtara Wilderness Camp in Pench, The Sarai at Toria near Khajuraho and Panna, Svasara Jungle Lodge in Tadoba and Jehan Numa Wilderness Lodges and Camps in Bhopal and Satpura.
ALT EFF is an international film festival that was established in 2020 based on a need to bring people together through the arts; to raise awareness about issues that surround the climate justice movement and to practice global resilience in the face of a crisis that threatens to divide and conquer. The festival is dedicated to supporting filmmakers, creators and artists who are eager to connect audiences with environmental themes through impactful storytelling. Originally, ALT EFF was conceived as a physical festival, but in order to ensure safety for all festival go-ers – ALT EFF 2021 will be a virtual event. The event will celebrate both emerging and established voices, showcase works of award-winning filmmakers and creators as well as feature discussion and dialogue about pressing environmental concerns.
Shoba Mohan, Founder, RARE India, said, “With ALT EFF, we see strong synergies with the responsible and sustainable tourism ethos of the RARE Community. The festival aims at creating widespread empathy and awareness, which is in line with our efforts to nudge travellers to be responsible. We urge everyone in the industry and every traveller to join in and participate as well as share freely with your friends because it is through widespread advocacy that we will bring about change and leave a safe and healthy planet for the future generations.”
The festival will take place from October 9 to October 17, with 44 films divided into ten curated film bundles, representing a total of 31 countries and showcasing 33 India premieres. The festival is packed with content to celebrate the stories of climate warriors across the globe.
As a part of its partnership with RARE India, a live-event will take place during the festival on 13th October called ‘Don’t be that tourist’. This will be a panel discussion on ‘Sustainable Tourism’ featuring Amit Sankhala of Jamtara Wilderness Camp, Joanna and Raghu Chundawat of The Sarai at Toria, Ratika of Svasara Jungle Lodge and Aly Rashid of Jehan Numa Wilderness Lodges and Camps.
Regarding the ‘Don’t be that tourist’ live-event, Mohan said, “For the traveler who is conscious and aware, a getaway goes deeper than ticking off sites in a standard itinerary. The emphasis has shifted towards meaningful interactions and transformative experiences, while simultaneously considering the planet and all those who inhabit it. Increasingly, thoughtful jet-setters are re-considering the wider impact of their trip. Are our leisure pursuits conducive to supporting the region’s wildlife and ecosystems? Does the local community prosper? How can we participate? These are all questions world-wanderers are exploring, which will be addressed during the panel discussion.”
