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A Flaming Forest
Reimagining Conservation through Soliga Voices
Part of the Coexistence Mela
Speakers
49 min | Kannada with English Subtitles | Documentary | India
Between protection and possession lies the story of the Soliga and their burning forest.
A Flaming Forest is a powerful documentary that captures the Soliga adivasis’ deep, ancestral bond with the forests of the Biligiri Rangaswamy Temple (BRT) Tiger Reserve—and the heartbreak of being displaced from them in the name of conservation. Through quiet observation and intimate storytelling, the film reveals both the loss and the resistance that arise when conservation excludes the very people who have lived in harmony with nature for generations.
Winner of the Best Depiction of the Climate Emergency at Film Southasia 2024, A Flaming Forest has travelled through film festivals and universities worldwide, sparking urgent conversations on what true, inclusive conservation should look like.
Directed by Salman Javeed, Satya Ambasta, and Vivek Sangwan, the film blends ethnography and cinema to ask: can we protect the forest without silencing its people?
Credits
Production: Srishti Films
Executive Producer: Sanjay Barnela
Editing and Sound Design: Salman Javeed
Cinematography: Sanjay Barnela, Salman Javeed, Vivek Sangwan
Director of Research: Nitin Rai
Research and Production: Anandi Mehra, Paromita Bathija, Satya Ambasta
This screening is part of the larger Coexistence Mela at BIC on Nov 22 and 23. You can find the complete program here.
Presented by:
Speakers
Salman Javeed
Salman Javeed, a filmmaker with a focus on non-fiction filmmaking, has spent years immersed in capturing the essence of India’s diverse landscapes and communities. He has worked on several films across the country on rights-based conservation, rural livelihoods, education, agriculture, etc. His interest lies in how different mediums of imagery affect storytelling, and through this, he wishes to bring an experimental approach to non-fiction filmmaking.
Vivek Sangwan
Vivek is a filmmaker with deep interests in performing arts.
He studied Filmmaking at the Srishti Institute of Arts Design and Technology with a focus on non-fiction and has 2 years of committed and significant experience as a Research Assistant, Assistant Faculty, Cinematographer and Director, where he had a strong foundation built, to appreciate and make a wide range of films.
Areas of Interest: Documentary films, Cinematography, Dance, Performing arts.
C Madegowda
Parvathamma
