Vatavaran values and supports film makers who create powerful and vital works that engage audiences with ideas, concepts, visions and passionate narratives. Environment and wildlife films from all over India competed for their treatment, perspective, message, visual quality, technical perfection etc.

Productions selected as nominations were screened throughout the festival days with Open Forums with film makers. The festival Jury will honour the best films with a memento, along with a citation and award money in eight categories.

Categories

a. Wildlife Natural History - INR 1,00,000

Insight into the ecology of a particular group of animal/s or the interactions between different animals.

b. Wildlife Conservation - INR 1,00,000

Insight into atrocities on wildlife, trafficking, conservation efforts.*

c. Environment - INR 1,00,000 (two awards)

Films highlighting issues like toxicity, pollution, pesticide contamination, effluents, pollution of water bodies, bio-medical waste, e-waste, industrial waste, municipal waste, climate change, global warming, green cities etc.*
( Supported by Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) and Delhi Chief Minister, Government of NCT of Delhi)

d. 2005 Festival Theme: Forests for Life - INR 1,00,000 (two awards)

Films highlighting issues like sacred groves, afforestation and conservation efforts, eco-development, joint forest management, deforestation, desertification, urban or rural community as well as individual initiatives in forest conservation etc.*
( Supported by Ministry of Environment and Forests and Star)

e. Animation - INR 50,000

Highlighting concerns on environment and wildlife or promoting conservation efforts.

f. Public Service Message Spot - INR 50,000

Highlighting concerns on environment and wildlife or promoting conservation efforts.
Duration less than 180 seconds

g. Student Film - INR 50,000

Film produced by a student/ group of students that most effectively communicates environment/ecology/wildlife/ forests/conservation issues.

Best of Festival Award - INR 1,50,000

Not a category. Awarded to the best documentary of the festival

* Indicative list

CMS Vatavaran Film Fellowships - INR 1,00,000 Each (Supported by Ministry of Environment and Forests and Star)

Awarded to young and upcoming film makers whose concepts demonstrate originality in terms of topical relevance and technical excellence.

Eight awards are supported by Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India.