'Turtle Walker' to be screened at film festival in Kerala

Excited about the film's premiere, Taira, in a press note, said, "I have been waiting for the day we premiere Turtle Walker in India, and the International Documentary and Short Film Festival of Kerala feels just so apt for our very first screening. Satish grew up on Vypin Island, Kochi. This is where he discovered a fascination for the sea as a young child, and where giant leatherback turtles were once found to nest. We look forward to bringing this deeply personal story of wonder and resilience to audiences across India."

'Turtle Walker' follows the story of Satish Bhaskar, a sea turtle conservationist who spent decades studying and protecting endangered turtles along India's coast and islands. Starting in the late 1970s, Bhaskar travelled across remote areas to document turtle nesting sites and understand their behaviour. His efforts helped bring attention to marine life conservation in India.

The film had its world premiere at the Doc NYC festival in 2024 and has since won several awards, including the Grand Teton Award at the Jackson Wild Media Awards -- one of the highest honours in nature filmmaking. It also received recognition at other international festivals such as the Blue Water Film Festival, the International Ocean Film Festival, and Santiago Wild.

The documentary film 'Turtle Walker' is co-produced by Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti's production company, Tiger Baby, along with Emaho Films.

"Turtle Walker is a story of an extraordinary man, Satish Bhaskar, and his quiet devotion to sea turtle conservation. It's especially meaningful to have the film's India premiere at IDSFFK - a festival that truly values powerful, purpose-driven storytelling," said Zoya Akhtar. (ANI)