First Georgian animation on environmental manga claims 2nd prize in UNDP contest

The first Georgian animation production, based on a manga graphic novel series and created under a campaign on the topic of forest cover protection, has earned the second prize for the best creative product in the United Nations Development Programme’s global contest Digital Awards, UNDP Georgia revealed on Friday.

Created with the support of the UNDP, the Embassy of Japan to Georgia and the National Forestry Agency, the animation, entitled Forest is My Friend, follows a storyline on cohabitation of trees and humans in a distant past.

See the animation:

In contrast, the contemporary period of the animation’s plot - based on a work of the globally popular manga novel style that originates in Japan - shows the living beings becoming enemies to each other.

Its characters include a small log with a brave heart and a strong-armed daughter of a woodcutter, who begin to fight for the restoration of the lost friendship.

People sometimes do not have time to think about such global problems, such as forest protection. [...]  While involved in our own routines, we forget the environment we live in is largely dependent on us”, director Lasha Kotorashvili told Georgian business magazine Marketer.

That is why it’s necessary for such acute issues to come to the public in a form that is easy to understand and has an emotional impact”, the filmmaker added.

The screenplay, visual concept, animation and music for the production were created by Georgian non-governmental organisation Democracy Laboratory.