Documentary on Vietnamese people’s effort to protect douc langur shines at 2023 Films for the Forest

This was announced by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) on June 30.

The jury also selected ‘Tam My Tay’ to compete at the 2023 IFF Ekotopfilm – Envirofilm, which will be held in Slovakia this September, to honour outstanding documentary films on topics related to the natural world and sustainability.

Directed by James Thomson, ‘Tam My Tay’ is a co-production between Melt Films and WWF-Vietnam, in association with GreenViet.

The film documented forest owner Danh, who looks to his neighbours for help as plantations divide their habitat in central Vietnam. Together they create a community patrol to protect grey-shanked douc langur, which is listed as one of the forest animals in danger of extinction, that are banned from being exploited or used for commercial purposes.

Under the support of WWF Vietnam and GreenViet, the group has gained positive outcomes in their work.

The film has proved that collective effort made by dedicated and passionate people will create amazing changes.

Nguyen Dinh Phuoc, Manager of the ‘Leading the Change’ Project at WWF-Vietnam.

“We are happy and surprised that the film won an international film festival,” said Nguyen Dinh Phuoc, Manager of the ‘Leading the Change’ Project at WWF-Vietnam.

The film has proved that collective effort made by dedicated and passionate people will create amazing changes, he stated.

For his part, director James Thomson hailed that the Tam My Tay community has developed a close relationship between langurs and humans.

He expressed his hope that their stories will inspire other communities to come together to preserve and realise their power to change things.

Films for the Forest is an annual juried short film collection that uses the power of creative storytelling to convene, empower, and activate global audiences, to take action on behalf of the world's forests.

A scene in 'Tam My Tay' documentary

Launched by Rainforest Partnership in 2010, Films for the Forest invites filmmakers from around the world to share the voices and stories of forests worldwide, highlighting their rich biodiversity and local communities, their immense beauty and importance to the entire planet, the threats they face, and the opportunities for renewal.

The theme for the 2023 competition is "Living Forests. Thriving Future" and challenges filmmakers to express the urgent need for collective action and commitment to stop climate change, and to showcase the value of healthy, standing forests for the future of humanity and every life form on the planet.

It attracted 83 films by filmmakers from 26 countries around the world, who competed in five categories including Documentary Short, Narrative Short, Animated Short, Youth Film, Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs) Film.