Bruno Manser filmmaker recognised for Paradise War movie

Valentin Greutert has received the ‘Filmmaker Award’ 2017 at this year’s Zurich Film Festival for his movie depicting the work of Swiss environmentalist and campaigner Bruno Manser.

Greutert was handed the CHF100,000 ($103,000) prize by the Association for the Promotion of Film in Switzerland. His movie, Paradise War, directed by Niklaus Hilber, charts Manser’s campaign against forest destruction and political oppression of indigenous people in Sarawak, Malysia.

The Swiss shepherd from canton Graubünden lived with the Penan tribe in Sarawak between 1984 and 1990, organising blockades against timber companies. He disappeared during his last visit to the country in 2000 and was officially declared dead by the Swiss authorities five years later.

In 1991, he set up the Swiss NGO Bruno Manser Fund, which to this day campaigns against rainforest destruction around the world.

Greutert received his award – the third year it has been presented – during the IWC Gala Evening at the 13th Zurich Film Festival on Saturday.