Film Festival Q&A: The Forest Guardian

Speaker: Anthony Ochieng, conservation photographer and filmmaker, TonyWild Foundation, and director of The Forest Guardian. 
Moderator: Duncan Lukoye, correspondent, Voice of America (VoA) 

Meet Anthony and ask him about the creation of his short film and how he worked with its protagonist and the community. Anthony will notably address how films showcasing the local perspective could help policymakers identify solutions and how conservation should go beyond to promote a respectful and sustainable interaction between humans and nature. Hear about the potential of sustainably financing forests and the importance of portraying communities and local people as stewards.

Watch The Forest Guardian here.

“People will always talk about planting trees when you talk about restoration, but very few think about growing trees for biodiversity. I met this amazing human called Ssezi Mugisa, whose heart is the forest. Trust me, the first time I met him, I asked myself, why have we never had about him? How many people will he inspire if we do a story about him? He is truly a forest guardian and defines restoration as a conservation tool but also as a sustainable livelihood practice and, to top it all, a paradise for the chimpanzees in Uganda. Join the movement to plant trees for biodiversity” – Anthony Ochieng.

Connect with Anthony and TonyWild Foundation on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and

learn more about the film at tonywild.co.ke/the-forest-guardian.