Houbara
Finalist

Houbara

Kraetrapp

2022

2022
Entry 22-624 | Iran | 2021 | 64’ | Language: Persian | Subtitles: English Estonian

Houbara or Bustard (Chlamydotis macqueni) is one of the favorite birds among hunters and falconers in the Persian Gulf countries. Unfortunately in the last decades, bustard’s hunting and catching alive have caused a drastic reduction in its population and as a result, it is now considered one of the most vulnerable and endangered species in Iran and all over the world.

Director Fathollah Amiri, Nima Asgari  | Cinematography  Nima Asgari | Editing  Mostafa Gandomkar, Sogol Moradi | Composer  Babak Mirzakhani | Producer  Mohammad Ala | Production Company  Wildlife Pictures Institute | Original Title  Houbara
Houbara
Houbara
Houbara

2022
Best Director
Jury: It is not a beautiful film featuring charming wildlife stories - but it is one that inevitably needed to be made. It is not the easiest thing to make an investigative film in Iran anyway. The more important is the fact that such a film is made and that it has made it here to our audiences. The film does not provide us with conclusions, but leaves us with a heap of difficult, unanswered questions. What will happen to the houbaras that were confiscated from the smugglers? Will they manage to survive? What about the arrested poachers and their families? How could we possibly get the information about the range of devastation through to the rich people who buy these delicate birds in order to have them torn into pieces by (also imprisoned) falcons? When we buy petrol for our cars here, are we possibly also part of this miserable network of exploitation?

2022
Grand Prix
Jury: Iranian men in uniforms, chasing poor bedouin poachers with guns. Trapped birds sold to rich people in neighbouring countries. Women being kept out of sight and mentioned only once - as the presumed head of the criminal network. Houbara is an incredibly thought-provoking film. We were on the edge of our seats rooting for environmental workers to be able to put a stop to the awful persecution of this beautiful species. Making a detective-action nature film is a difficult task. Houbara definitely achieved it. The film is quite a journey, exciting and full of jeopardy, and involves passionate people. There’s human suffering on both sides, as the poachers feel the need to trap the birds due to poverty, and the wildlife protection unit despair at the treatment of the birds, and their endangerment. Wealthier Middle-Eastern countries are taking advantage of their poorer neighbors by exploiting their natural resources pretty much like the rest of us are doing with our planet’s resources and using them to our amusement without any regard to the consequences. This is a message that needs to be amplified, and that is what we hope this award will do.
Director Fathollah Amiri, Nima Asgari
Cinematography Nima Asgari
Editing Mostafa Gandomkar, Sogol Moradi
Composer Babak Mirzakhani
Producer Mohammad Ala
Production Company Wildlife Pictures Institute
Original Title Houbara
Entry Number 22-624
Country of Production
Iran
Year of Production 2021
Running Time 64’
Language: Persian
Subtitles: English Estonian

Film recommendations

Supporters

EELK Karuse Margareeta Kogudus
Tšehhi Suursaatkond
Lääneranna Gümnaasium
Elixir OÜ
Wood Meadow Life
RMK
Ehemeri
Lääneranna muuseum
Lääneranna Kultuuri- ja Noortekeskus
Vesta Värkstuba
Sihtasutus Läänemaa
Lihula raamatukogu
Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany
Rootsi Suursaatkond
Nissan
Utilitas
Keskkonnaamet
Integratsiooni sihtasutus
Kvaliteetaken
RASK
Luha pagar
Austrian Embassy
GreenCube
Matsalu Loodusfilmide Festival
EELK Karuse Margareeta Kogudus
Tšehhi Suursaatkond
Lääneranna Gümnaasium
Elixir OÜ
Wood Meadow Life
RMK
Ehemeri
Lääneranna muuseum
Lääneranna Kultuuri- ja Noortekeskus
Vesta Värkstuba
Sihtasutus Läänemaa
Lihula raamatukogu
Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany
Rootsi Suursaatkond
Nissan
Utilitas
Keskkonnaamet
Integratsiooni sihtasutus
Kvaliteetaken
RASK
Luha pagar
Austrian Embassy
GreenCube
Matsalu Loodusfilmide Festival
Pärnumaa omavalitsuste liit
Öökulli akadeemia
Tapamaja galerii
Tuulingu Birdwatching Paradise
Eesti Filmi Instituut
Lihula Muusika- ja Kunstikool
Kliimaministeerium
Von Hauer
Prantsuse instituut
WD
Flandria Instituut
COOP Lihula
Karuse Mälumäng 49
ETV2
Olive kosmeetika
Nurmsi taluresto
Eesti keele maja
Sakste maja
Tallinn Zoo
Viljandi Kultuuriakadeemia
Eesti Kultuurkapital
KIK
Overall
Raudsepa maastikuhooldus
Pärnumaa omavalitsuste liit
Öökulli akadeemia
Tapamaja galerii
Tuulingu Birdwatching Paradise
Eesti Filmi Instituut
Lihula Muusika- ja Kunstikool
Kliimaministeerium
Von Hauer
Prantsuse instituut
WD
Flandria Instituut
COOP Lihula
Karuse Mälumäng 49
ETV2
Olive kosmeetika
Nurmsi taluresto
Eesti keele maja
Sakste maja
Tallinn Zoo
Viljandi Kultuuriakadeemia
Eesti Kultuurkapital
KIK
Overall
Raudsepa maastikuhooldus