Arif Ahmed's 'Paradise Nest'-Voice of the voiceless!

When Paradise Nest won the Best Film of Nature Award at the Calcutta International Cult Film Festival on April 22, it was food for thought for every film buff and critic out here in Dhaka. The film is a product of young photojournalist Arif Ahmed's passion for wildlife photography and concern for an almost extinct species of birds; and the cinematography, stills, and production has been handled by the director himself. “Through my experience of wildlife photography for the past few years, I have developed a soft spot for these beautiful creatures. I want to continue raising awareness to stop the illegal hunting of not only birds, but all animals”. Besides being a focal point of the CICFF, the film was also displayed in Italy's Cefalù Film Festival, India's IFFC and in the USA's 41st International Wildlife Film Festival. The director expressed his gratitude for the reception of the film, but at the same time had a few gripes about his experience with its production: “No one really wants to sponsor a project like this, and that is very disappointing. I really hope that the government steps in and offers funding to films like these, because I believe that they have potential to not only increase awareness, but be commercially successful as well,” says an adamant Arif.