Fish & Wildlife Service—National Conservation Training Center
Conservation and Community Public Lecture Series
Speaking with Moyna Huda
Speakers:
Mark Madison
Moyna Huda
[audio start]
Mark: Hi. Today is November 6th, 2009. And I’m Mark Madison at the National Conservation Training Center. And this week, we’re hosting the 7th Annual American Conservation Film Festival. And we’re very fortunate to have with us this morning one of the filmmakers we invited out here. Moyna Huda, who has made a beautiful film called the Sundarbans, about the largest remaining mangrove forest in Bangladesh. It’s a gorgeous film. We’re going to be showing it tomorrow, Saturday, November 7th at noon. And welcome, Huda, it’s a pleasure to have you here.
Moyna: Thank you.
Mark: Why don’t you tell us a little bit about your film?
Moyna: The film is about the largest mangrove forest in Bangladesh and India. It’s about 10,000, larger than 10,000 square kilometers. And it is situated almost 50% in Bangladesh and in India. It’s near by the ocean, near Bengal, and you know the mangrove forest is a woodland, [sou…able] land and there is a lot of […] indeed. So it’s something different from the mainland forest, and that space is habited different. And specially about this mangrove forest is it’s a saline water mangrove, which is very rare in the world. So it leaves very special attention.
Mark: And is it being considered for a World Heritage Site?
Moyna: Yeah. Yeah. The United Nations already cleared the space for World Heritage Place in 1997.
Mark: Great. What made you take on this project as a filmmaker?
Moyna: One reason I embraced the subject it is one of my personal interests. And it’s, the place is really beautiful. And the piece that became the, that is a great concern for everybody who love forest, who love nature. So I become very interested in it. And I go there several times, and I work for almost 7 years on this project, and shot several time. And at last, I make this film.
Mark: Oh wonderful. Have you made other films, or is this your first?
Moyna: Yeah. Yeah.
Mark: Tell us about some of your other projects.
Moyna: I work especially on social issues. And human rights issues for the people, to help people and to advocate for people. Also sometimes the policy makers within the country and around the world.
Mark: Great. Well, like I said, it’s going to be showing here Saturday. And the title of the film is called A Tale of the Sundarbans. If somebody wanted to purchase the film, is there a website they could go to to learn more about it?
Moyna: Yeah, you can if you are interested, I have brought some DVDs with me, and I can give them. They can also go to the website, www.[...].com
Mark: Thank you so much for being with us and coming out with this beautiful film. You’ve actually flown 22 hours to get here.
Moyna: Yes, almost that.
Mark: All the way from Bangladesh, and so you definitely came the furthest of any filmmaker. And it’s a gorgeous film. It teaches so much about the forest and even about the people that live within the area.
Moyna: I am also very happy to be here, and I am really enjoying to meet the people, especially at this conservation center. This is really beautiful. The place is beautiful. The films are beautiful. So I am very happy to be here. And I welcome all the interested people to come and see my film.
Mark: Thank you. We’re looking forward to screening it tomorrow and, thank all of you for taking the time to listen to this podcast.
Moyna: Thank you everybody.
[audio end]
