Press releases

29 Jan 2020

French company to film documentary about Belarus’ wildlife

Photo courtesy of the Belarusian Forestry Ministry

MINSK, 29 January (BelTA) – The French company Nomades in association with the University of Lorraine plans to make a documentary about Belarus’ wildlife, BelTA learned from the press service of the Belarusian Forestry Ministry.

The documentary will feature Belarus’ nature reserves and their inhabitants: wolves, lynxes, and bears. The film will aim to show how people and predators can coexist. “Most French people fear predators. They believe that it is impossible for them to coexist with people. We would like to prove them wrong and show that predators do not have a significant negative influence on people’s lives through Belarus’ example,” Alain Chretien, one of the authors of the project, said as he met with senior officials of the Forestry Ministry.

The documentary is expected to be aired on French national television.

If the ministry gives green light to the project, the shooting will take place in the Naliboki Reserve and the Berezinky Biosphere Reserve. Alain Chretien noted that Belarusian nature reserves differ from French ones. “Of course, there are specially protected natural areas in France, including very beautiful forests. But there are no predators there, while Belarus has all of them. This is why we would like to shoot the film here,” Alain Chretien added.

The Belarusian Forestry Ministry is willing to assist the company with the project, First Deputy Forestry Minister Valentin Shatravko noted. “Belarus is proud of its nature and indeed has something to show Europeans,” he added.

The French company intends to obtain all the necessary approvals and start shooting the film in the near future.