Documentary film 'Searching for Choti' shines at Ecoreels Film Festival 2025
The film, which was screened on June 7, offers a soulful meditation on India's rapidly disappearing wildlife and human stories entwined within it. The narrative follows Subhash Behera and Mallampalli as they set out in pursuit of one of India's rarest and least understood wild felines, fishing cats, one of the rarest wild cats of India.
The story of the film also shows why it is important to maintain balance with nature. Internationally recognised, the film won Best Short Film Award in the 'Nature and Wildlife' category at the International Motion Picture Awards (Canada). Cinematographer Giridhar Nayak's lens captures the essence of the Chilika Lake region in haunting, poetic frames.
Talking about 'Searching for Choti' Mallampalli shared, 'This film looks at how wetlands like Chilika support both wildlife and local communities and how that balance is now at risk. With less freshwater and a rise in intensive farming, the landscape is changing.'
Revealing his motive behind the drama, the director added, 'Through this film, I hope to highlight how protecting wetlands and communities goes hand in hand.'
Mallampalli's fascination with nature and wildlife began in childhood and he has consistently sought to tell compelling stories rooted in ecological reality. He started his career by working at places like National Geographic and BBC, where he got the inspiration to make films based on true stories.
Mallampalli and Nayak have also collaborated on another documentary, Mandala, directed by Nayak and produced by Mallampalli, which explores human-snake conflict and snakebite deaths along Maharashtra's Konkan coast. UNI NST SSP
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