Kyrgyz film ‘Long Way to the Pasture’ wins top honour at Rain International Nature Film Festival 2026
Published: November 03, 2026 06:51 PM IST
Kyrgyz documentary ‘Long Way to the Pasture’ wins Silver Elephant award.
The eighth edition of the Rain International Nature Film Festival (RINFF 2026) concluded at the SCMS campus in Aluva, celebrating compelling eco-cinema from across the globe. Kyrgyz filmmaker Ilgiz Shergiz bagged the best documentary award for ‘Long Way to the Pasture,’ while Iranian entry ‘Adriana: A Passenger’ from Italy, directed by Habib Alvani, secured the runner-up spot. The winners were chosen by an international jury chaired by acclaimed Sri Lankan filmmaker Prasanna Vithanage.
Organised by the Jayaraj Foundation in partnership with the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) and the National Service Scheme (NSS), the festival was supported by the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). Held from Oct 29 to Oct 31 Oct 2026, RINFF remains Kerala’s premier environmental film festival. Mizoram Minister for Food, Civil Supplies, Consumer Affairs, Information and Public Relations B Lalchhanzova officially inaugurated the event, which featured Iran as the Country Focus and Mizoram as the Focus State.
Star-studded awards ceremony
Distinguished guests joined the closing ceremony to present accolades to the winning filmmakers. The awards were handed over by Higher Education Minister Roji M John, actor Tini Tom, MG University Syndicate members Dr GS Gireesh Kumar, Thomas Kuruvilla, and Dr Jobin Jose, alongside cinematographer Nikhil S Praveen. Renowned filmmaker Jayaraj presented a comprehensive festival review, while Manorama Hortus Marketing Director Varghese Chandy received a special honour on behalf of the publication and delivered a felicitation address.
Lifetime achievement and youth honours
Disaster management expert Muralee Thummarukudy was conferred with the Prakriti Puraskaram (RINFF 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award) by Kerala Water Resources Minister Mons Joseph on the second day of the festival. Student achievements were also highlighted, with special awards including the Golden Hornbill, Golden Owl, and Crystal Butterfly distributed by NSS Regional Director YM Uppin, State NSS Officer Dr V Manu, and Higher Secondary NSS Coordinator Dr Santhosh Kumar S. MG University NSS Coordinator EN Sivadasan delivered the welcome address, while SCMS Principal Dr Lakshmi Mahesh expressed the vote of thanks.