18 & 19 June 2008
Godrej Dance Academy Theatre, NCPA.

The film festival dedicated to the tiger was a huge success. Thanks to the numerous media reports about the festival we had interested people coming to the festival from all over Mumbai. There were scheduled 6 shows in the two days. But due to an overwhelming response we had to increase it to 11 shows in the two days. We had students from Campion School, Girton Girls School, Jamnabai Nursee, Jasudben attending the shows. All the 11 shows were house full.

The documentaries that were featured are as follows:

The Tigers Next Door – Ashish Chandola
Wildlife filmmaker and naturalist, Ashish Chandola, personally financed and shot this film, which was eventually picked up by the world renowned Norwich-based production company Survival Anglia. The film documents one family of tigers in Bandhavgarh and explores their somewhat strained relationship with local villagers.

Tiger: Earth Matters – Mike Pandey
The film follows the fortunes of the tiger and highlights the way in which its numbers have fallen from around 40,000 at the turn of the century to around 1,500 today. It also explores why and how the tigers of Sariska were wiped out by the illegal international wildlife trade and what India must do to save its national animal.

Ultimate Guide to Tigers - Guy Pierce
The film takes viewers through the ancestry of tigers, their territoriality and mating habits, family life, hunting techniques and their conflict with humans. An exquisitely produced film, it traces the tigers' relationships with humans, both those who hunted the cat and those who worshipped it. The film ends on the need to and the ways in which we can save the tiger.

The Tiger - Narrated by David Attenborough
The film showcases some of the finest tiger sequences ever filmed and records the life of tigers that have grown up in the Kanha Tiger Reserve under the protective umbrella of security afforded by wildlife officials in Madhya Pradesh. The commentary relies on hard science, which is married to the inimitable style of one of the natural world's greatest champions and ambassadors, Sir David Attenborough

Tigers of the Emerald Forest – Narrated by Pradip Krishen
The film has been shot in Panna, near Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh and it follows the life of two large male tigers Madla and Hairy Foot who fight it out for territorial rights in Panna's emerald forest. Will one drive the other out, or will they share their kingdom? Apart from the threat from other tigers, the cats must also survive the attention of people who poach them for profit. Dedicated scientist Raghu Chundawat and his partner Joanna Van Gruisen have studied the tigers of Panna for many years and their work has helped make this film possible.

Tiger: The Death Chronicles – Krishnendu Bose
The film attempts to presents all sides of the debate on the status of tigers and why the species is in trouble. The geographical focus is Madhya Pradesh, Orissa and Goa, states that are "trading their tigers and their forests for greater economic revenue."
The film uses an interview format and attempts to balance the negative aspects by highlighting some positives from a few tiger habitats.
Each documentary was introduced by a naturalist and the screening was followed up with a discussion, highlighting the main issues which were put forward by the documentary. On the first day of the Film Fest, we were joined by Mr. Rushikesh Chawan, Conservation Officer, Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) and then later by Mr. Shardul Bajikar, Naturalist, Sanctuary Asia.

On the 18th of June, a Press Conference was called to brief the media on the latest tiger conservation position in Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. Unfortunately, Mr Rajesh Gopal, Member Secretary, National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) who had confirmed, was not present. Mr. Hemendra Kothari, Chairman WCT, addressed the media on the work done by WCT and its future plans. Apart from that Mr. R. Mehrotra, Chiwf Wildlife Warden of Rajasthan, Mr. V. P. Singh, Member of Parliament and Secretary of the Empowered Committee for Tigers in Rajasthan, Mr. H. S. Pabla, Addition PCCF, MP and Mr. Shreebhagwan, CCF, Maharashtra spoke about the their respective states and the failures and successes of the tiger reserves in their states. More than 40 people from various publications and electronic channels were present. 

A Royal Bengal Tiger evening was hosted and organised by the Taj Mahal Hotel. This was an evening dedicated to the tiger. Guest lists included leading corporates, NGO's working for the environment, conservationists and the forest dept. officials. Mr. Babanrao Pachpute, Forest Minister of Maharashtra was present along with Praveen Pardeshi, Municipal Commissior of Pune. More than 650 guests attended the evening. Gary Lawyer performed a song specially written and composed by him for the Tiger. This was followed by the screening of The Tiger - by David Attenborough.