First IMAX film on India Premieres in No. America Ottawa, Canada; July 17, 2002 - One of the most talked about films to hit the large format screens in North America is India - Kingdom of the Tiger, which recently opened in several limited release theatres across North America. It is the latest large format collaboration between the National Wildlife Federation and Primesco Films, and had its Canadian premiere at the Canadian Museum of Civilization in Ottawa/Hull on July 1, 2002. India - Kingdom of the Tiger has set a benchmark in its own right because it is the first large format (or IMAX®) film made on India. The film features spectacular footage of India´s landscapes, from the blue-hazed Himalayas to the sibilant coastal Kerala backwaters. A glittering world premiere is scheduled on September 14, 2002 at the British Film Institute in London, followed by a premiere at the Adlabs IMAX® theatre in Mumbai, and several theatres across the United States and Europe. “India – Kingdom of the Tiger explores this rich land, her people, and her culture, through the story of the tiger and Jim Corbett,” explains Goulam Amarsy, Primesco’s president and producer. According to Director Bruce Neibaur (who also directed the acclaimed large format film Mysteries of Egypt), India’s impact on a first-time visitor can be overwhelming. “I was amazed by the sea of people on the streets. I thought I had accidentally stepped into a colorful, disorganized march of some kind until I realized it was rush hour in downtown Mumbai,” jokes Neibaur. “Indian culture is vibrant, colorful, and exhilarating – and best suited to be shown on a giant screen.” Determined to present the true beauty and vigor of India, Neibaur and his team - including Matthew Williams, director of photography - traveled more than 2,300 miles over rugged terrain to capture the stunning images seen in the film. Their travels took them from the medieval desert city of Jaisalmer in western Rajasthan to the ancient holy city of Varanasi in central India, and from the mountainous region of Kumaon in the north to the beaches of Kerala in the south, in search of some of the most rare and pristine locations in India. On the tiger trail Writer and Line Producer Keero Singh Birla found that the greatest thrill of the production was in seeking out and filming the mighty Bengal tiger on elephant back. Along with veteran large format cinematographer James Neihouse, Neibaur, Birla and the Indian crew spent more than a month filming in Bandhavgarh National Park, a 200-square-mile wildlife conservation area in central India. “It was certainly a lot more challenging than we could have imagined,” says Birla. “Luckily, a healthy respect still exists between elephants and tigers, so we got close enough to capture some incredible behavior.” In accordance with NWF’s mission of conservation and Primesco’s cultural history, the topic of tigers and India created a perfect fit that well suited the giant screen. The Bengal tiger, one of the largest cats in the world, is revered as India’s national animal. It is also worshipped for its connection to the powerful Hindu war goddess, Durga, who is said to ride into battle on the back of a tiger. In the early 1900’s, approximately 40,000 tigers roamed much of the Indian subcontinent. Today, fewer than 4,000 remain. This film aims to educate viewers about the significance of these fierce cats, the land they once claimed as their kingdom and the increasing pressure from encroaching human populations that tigers now face in their struggle to survive in their own native habitat. “This is a land that was shaped by both its own natural wealth and the needs of a burgeoning population competing for space and food. As a result of this conflict, top predators like the tiger have suffered tremendously, especially over the past fifty years. They represent declining predatory cat populations around the.world, including endangered cats found here in the United States,” says Christopher N. Palmer, National Wildlife Productions’ president and executive producer. While focusing on the plight of the Bengal tiger, the film retells the dramatic true-life story of the legendary British hunter and wildlife conservationist, Edward James (Jim) Corbett, who was born and lived most of his life in India. Fondly called ‘Carpet Sahib’ (a mispronunciation of his name) by the villagers in his community, Jim Corbett had a profound attachment to India and her people. He was involved in a great deal of community work, helping to build walls and develop infrastructure for local communities. Corbett was fascinated by Indian spirituality, and admired the people’s religious and cultural diversity. He recorded his many adventures with tigers and recollections of India in thrilling, poignant stories set in the Himalayan region. It was these stories, along with his photographs and films of wild tigers that made him internationally renowned. India’s first, and one of its largest national parks, Corbett National Park, at 1,200 square miles, was renamed in his honor. “Corbett was the first person to recognize that a growing population was gradually encroaching upon the tigers’ habitat, and resulting in a conflict between man and beast,” says Primesco Producer Afsana Amarsy. Palmer adds, “His life is noteworthy for the trajectory it followed as he moved from importuned tiger hunter to one of the founders of Indian conservation. The story of Jim Corbett is the story of conservation in modern-day India.” “India – Kingdom of the Tiger demanded a giant screen production in order to do the topic justice,” says Palmer. “The diversity of what you see - from the sacred Ganges and the Himalayas in the north, to the desert and ocean fronts of the west – audiences come away from this experience feeling as through they’ve traveled thousands of miles and, as Corbett would say, looked a tiger right in the eye.”