Fischland-Darß-Zingst (dpa/mv) - This year's Darß nature film festival from October 4th to 9th will focus on the forest habitat in more than 50 film screenings and events. Twelve nominated productions are in the competition for the German Nature Film Award, as the organizers announced on Monday. The individual prizes in the five categories are endowed with a total of 26,000 euros. The main prizes are the “Best Film Wilderness Nature” and “Best Film Man and Nature”, each endowed with 10,000 euros.
Federal Environment Minister Steffi Lemke (Greens) is the patron of the German Nature Film Award. The films shown at the Darß are also important for encouragement, according to Lemke in the festival programme. "The state of many ecosystems currently offers little reason for optimism." The answers of the past were not suitable as a solution for the current challenges. Better ones would have to be found - with nature and not against it. As examples, the minister named near-natural and climate-stable forests, the rewetting of moors and greener and shadier cities.
After the film screenings there will be talks with filmmakers, it was said. The film program in Prerow, Wieck, Born, Zingst, Ahrenshoop and Stralsund is supplemented with specialist forums, excursions through the Western Pomerania Lagoon Area National Park, readings and multi-vision shows by well-known nature photographers.
