Winners
Winner 2012
Nicolas Entel
Nicolas Entel, a 38 year-old Argentinian filmmaker, received the $10,000 award for his project « Yasuni »
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
“Yasuní” opens in New York with filmmaker Nicolas Entel filming the installation of an oil well in the heart of one of the city’s most popular parks. The goal: to promote the Yasuni-ITT initiative, a proposition by the government of Ecuador to refuse exploitation of the oil reserves under the Yasuni Nation Park in exchange for a financial contribution of 3,600 million dollars from the international community, an amount equivalent to 50% of the value of those oil reserves.
Shortly afterward, the director travels with a Kichwa Indian to the equatorial region of the Amazon where Yasuni Park is located. The documentary takes us to the heart of the Kichwa community of Añangu, which has turned its back on oil production in order to focus on sustainable development, eco-tourism and education, having learned a lesson from the experience of the Waorani in Guiyero, located in the vicinity of oil wells.
The Alter-Ciné Foundation grant was more than merely a financial contribution. Aside from the money, it encourages filmmakers in mid-production who might wonder if they are on the right track, and it legitimizes the project for numerous other investors, foundations, festivals and broadcasters. Since receiving this grant, I have continued to promote your foundation with other directors and on social media.
– Nicolas Entel