Be Aware

The growth of the world's population and the production of goods require ever-increasing quantities of water, which is becoming increasingly precious and, in some areas of the planet, is becoming scarce. At the same time, its commercial exploitation is transforming it from a natural resource to a consumer good, from a right for all to a commodity for those who can afford it. Control of aquifers is also at the center of conflicts and a subject of political pressure, so much so that experts have begun to speak of "hydropolitics." The responsible use and people's right to access water has always been a central theme of our festival, but in this eleventh edition, it is the subject of a dedicated program that includes films and expert discussions. This approach is reinforced by our recent collaboration with the International Water Secretariat, which has coordinated the "International Meetings on Water and Cinema" (RIEC) initiative since 2006, bringing together water specialists, film experts, and a network of international environmental festivals. CinemAmbiente Environmental Film Festival is among the global festivals contributing to the film program that will be presented at the World Water Forum in Istanbul (March 2009). Our selection brings together some of the most significant documentaries produced in the last year, as well as a selection of short films and commercials that have won awards in RIEC competitions. "L'or bleu" is a documentary film that illustrates the water privatization process in Marrakesh, Morocco, and Neufchateau, France. It highlights the role of the French multinationals Suez and Lyonnaise, and the differing access to water for rich and poor alike. The film successfully gives voice to all parties involved, ensuring that water companies are also given a voice. "Discours d'eau" is a valuable documentation of the events in Mexico City during the 4th World Water Forum. Starting with the demands of the Mazahua movement, the film illustrates the positions of those fighting for water as a public good and compares them with the interventions made at the forum by companies and institutions such as the World Water Council. While two documentaries are dedicated to water privatization, there is no shortage of cinematic evidence that seeks to illustrate our relationship with water, including in cultural and religious terms. "One Water" (also selected for the international competition) offers a more poetic perspective, yet insists on recognizing this resource as fundamental to our lives. The water commercials produced as part of RIEC and VIDEAU will instead represent the theme in a fresh, fast-paced, and creative way, aiming to raise awareness of conservation and responsible use. Attention to the theme is present at other parts of the Festival with films about the seas, fishing, and rivers ("Cry Sea," "La Fiuma. Incontri sul Po e dintorni" in the Italian competition, "Alla ricerca del grande fiume" in Panorama). A roundtable discussion will focus on a highly topical issue in Italy, in which experts, environmentalists, and representatives of water management companies will discuss how we Italians, among the populations with the highest levels of drinking water, have become the largest consumers of bottled water.

The RIEC – The International Water and Cinema Meetings (RIEC), held every three years, are a meeting place for water specialists, filmmakers, communicators, teachers, researchers, and the general public. One of the RIEC's objectives is to foster collaboration through audiovisual media to foster exchanges, knowledge sharing, and research on water-related issues. Following the success of the first RIEC in Mexico in March 2006, organized in collaboration with the Académie de l'Eau, the International Water Secretariat (SIE) took over the coordination of the RIEC within the World Water Forums, working with an international steering committee composed of water specialists, filmmakers, and representatives from international environmental festivals. The RIECs aim to raise awareness and educate the general public by encouraging the production of educational and scientific films. They also provide an opportunity for filmmakers to participate in an international competition specializing in water-related films. Through collaboration with the VidėEeu Festival, young people between the ages of 18 and 30 also participate in the meetings, giving them the opportunity to share their perspectives and ideas by showing video spots they have created, with the aim of contributing to the development of the "Eau et Cinéma" project. Distribution opportunities are typically limited to large-scale productions, whereas the RIECs aim to create a platform for "invisible and independent cinema." Finally, by disseminating audiovisual works on water, the RIECs foster and promote international exchanges and contribute to strengthening one of the SIE's core concepts: international cooperation. (Raymond Jost, Secretary General of the SIE – President of the RIEC)

The idea for the VidéEau Festival was born in 2006 as part of the First International Water and Film Festival, organized in Mexico City for the 4th World Water Forum. It was the first time an inter-amateur competition was open to young people aged 18 to 30. Participants from around the world were invited to submit their video clips with the theme "Water, People, and Sustainable Growth." The first edition of the VidéEau Festival was launched in 2007 and was aimed exclusively at young people from Quebec, Canada. The festival invited them to develop the theme "Québec, Land of Water" and offer solutions to the problem of waste and water pollution. For the second edition in 2008, the VidéEau Festival decided to invite young people from around the world to participate. We received 80 videos from about 20 different countries.