1997

The Princes' Award 1997

Around 100 entries were received for this, the second Princes’ Award for audio-visual productions about Europe’s environment. This represents a significant increase on the number of entries received in 1996 and reflects growing recognition of The Princes’ Award and its role. That role is to identify and celebrate the best in European audio-visual environmental production. The media play a vital role in informing the general public and decision-makers alike, and in encouraging public participation. These considerations played an important part in the Jury’s thinking. But another set of factors were also considered to be important. These concern the work of the audio-visual producers themselves and the challenges they face. The fact is that in a changing media environment, audio-visual producers themselves have a difficult task when they consider the environment. Environmental information may be of central importance for the future, and as a spur to public participation in environmental issues. But such information is frequently technical and complex. Environmental concerns may only make sense when seen as part of the wider picture. The mass media, by contrast, are often concerned primarily with the short-term and with less complex issues.

The Jury has therefore sought to identify productions which are also good examples of how the media can be used by producers to explore environmental themes and communicate these to a wide audience.

Finally, a brief word about audiences, which the Jury has also tried to take into account. Any audio-visual production must target its own particular audience. It is essential that producers themselves have a strong appreciation of just who that audience might be.

There is room for great variety and specialism here. A highly technical, professional audience is different from a general, family audience but it is just as valid. The important thing is that producers know who they are trying to reach and structure their production accordingly.

Factual:

Valley of Tears
Annemiek van der Zanden / Zuidenwind Filmproductions
VARA Television (Netherlands)

42 minute documentary about a protester against road building, his father, their personal and political dilemmas, and the high price the protester had to pay.

The protection of the environment can involve great moral dilemmas. For example, is there an obligation to work within the law, within the democratic framework as it is defined? Or sometimes, under extreme conditions or resulting from passionately held beliefs, can it be acceptable to break the law and engage in illegal acts? This documentary finds a powerful way of exploring these issues. Part of its strength is that it does not make judgements. But neither does it glorify. The central character, a young man who chose illegal direct action in opposition a road building programme, is presented neither as a hero or a villain. Instead the film, calm and lyrical in tone, takes us deeper, layer by layer, into the issues and, with great effect, into the character of the young man and the reactions of his father.

Fiction and Drama:

Nature's Warrior
Stefan Jarl / Stefan Jarl AB (Sweden)

A 96 minute action-packed children’s fantasy feature film about a 12 year old boy, Kim, who leaves his normal life to become an outlaw and fight for the wilderness he loves.

Younger people have a particular stake in the future - it will be their world. Yet at the same time it is perhaps young people who are particularly the target of marketing to encourage materialistic consumption and individualistic behaviour. This contradiction makes it particularly difficult to focus the environmental issues for younger people, especially young teenagers. For a generation brought up on action-packed television cop shows and video games, earnest invitations to care about the environment may have limited appeal. This feature film overcomes such problems by employing many of the fast- moving dramatic techniques already familiar to a young audience. The young central character is presented as someone who is prepared to fight for his beliefs against the society at large and is therefore, perhaps, more credible to a young audience. All the while, an edge of fantasy reminds us that although the story is based in reality, this is a film, a work of fiction. That fact makes it no less effective.

Multi-Media:

Naturenet  
Matthew Chatfield / Barbara Chatfield (UK)

This is a website produced by two enthusiastic volunteers living in the UK countryside. The website enables the public to participate in environmental and conservation activities in the UK

One feature of the new multi-media technologies is their accessibility. It is not necessary to be a large corporation -or NGO - in order to put a message across. This web-site was attractive to the Jury for that very reason. Living quite far from a major city but making full use of the Web, its webmasters , who are volunteers, have created a friendly and fun facility which will be of interest to a wide general public and to such professionals as nature wardens and field workers. This is an original and entertaining website which encourages participation and furthers greater understanding of nature conservation issues.