Land of the Tiger

FESCH.TV INFORMIERT:

Land of the Tiger

A detailed and close look at the lives of wild tigers, most elusive of the big cats, and the country they live in. The film is set in two national parks. One, in central India, is made up of lush forest and grassy meadows in as near pristine condition as can still be found in india. The other, in the north of the country, is semi-arid scrubland and savannah with a long history of human occupation. However it is now restored to the tigers and other wildlife. In following the tigers the two habitats are contrasted.

Commissioned and distributed worldwide by National Geographic Society, Washington DC and PBS Station WQED Pittsburgh both of the USA.

Produced, directed and photographed by Stanley Breeden and Belinda Wright
Written by Stanley Breeden
Sound recorded by Belinda Wright
Edited by Barry Nye
Music by Terry Oldfield

Awards

HOUSTON INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL, 1985, USA
Grand Award for Best Documentary of the Year

INTERNATIONAL WILDLIFE FILM FESTIVAL, 1985, USA
Best of Festival
Best Television
Merit Award for Portrayal of an Endangered Species
Merit Award for Music

CINDY AWARDS, 1985, USA
Bronze Award

WILDSCREEN, 1985, UK
Best Editor, Barry Nye

ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR SOCIETY, 1985, USA
Semi-finalist Award

COLUMBUS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL, 1985, USA
Chris Statuette for Best US and Foreign Travel

BANFF INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF FILMS FOR TELEVISION, 1985
Best Outdoor/Wildlife Documentary

NORTH AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION FILMS, 1985, USA
First Place

INTERNATIONAL ANIMAL FILM FESTIVAL, 1986, FRANCE
Diamond Claw Award for Best Overall Film of the Festival

EMY AWARDS, 1986, USA
Emmy for Cinematography: Stanley Breeden & Belinda Wright
Emmy for Sound Recording: Belinda Wright
Emmy Nomination for Writing: Barry Nye
Emmy Nomination for Music: Terry Oldfield

AMERICAN CINEMA EDITORS EDITING AWARD, 1986, USA
Eddy Award: Barry Nye, editor

AMERICAN FILM AND VIDEO FESTIVAL, 1986, USA
Red Ribbon Award for Nature and Wildlife

COUNCIL ON INTERNATIONAL NON-THEATRICAL EVENTS, CINE ’86, USA
Golden Eagle

Festival Screenings – see above

Selected Reviews – extracts.

“These documentaries are leaps and bounds forward for the naturalist film. There’s minimal narration (nicely handled by Richard Kiley), none of the old-time anthropomorphic melodramatics about savagery and cunning, and no self-congratulation for having endured the wild. The film makers have the sense, still too rare in television, to let the pictures do the talking.

The best television is still the television from which you can learn something. Some of our feisty young documentary makers consider the Geographic’s specials innocuous – they don’t get into the sordid realities of human conflict – but they do have the capacity to bring secrets of nature, and thus of life, into bracing and edifying focus. They have their own enrapturing profundity.”

Tom Shales, ‘Washington Post’, USA, 16-01-1985

“Skill of execution and subject matter explain the constant lure of Natural Geographic Spex, now in their 10th year, and latest, ‘Land of the Tiger’, takes no false steps. Produced and photographed by Belinda Wright and Stanley Breeden, this docu sets yet another high standard by which to measure other docus.

The remarkable camera work and Breeden’s straightforward text take full measure of the tiger and his neighbours”

‘Daily Variety’, Hollywood, USA, Jan 1985

“The film’s brilliant opening – Wright did all the sound recording, which is superb – simply shows us the jungle, sans narration. With the tiger in the area all the animals are suspicious and nervous, and this documentary opens with all the tension of a mystery thriller.

Barry Nye’s editing wastes not a single frame, and praise must go to Terry Oldfield, who composed the score, used judiciously throughout.”

John Voorhees in ‘Seattle Daily Times’, USA, 16-01-1985

The early ratings showed that “Land of the Tiger” was the highest rated program ever on PBS (US non-commercial television network) ever. Later figures showed it was the second highest rated programme, a position it still holds.