Every year, at the end of October, thousands of naturalists gather in Ménigoute, in the Deux-Sèvres region of France, for the International Ornithology Film Festival (FIFO). Now in its over 40th year, the festival was founded in 1985 by Dominique Brouard, who recently reflected on its origins and his lifelong connection to the natural world. An excerpt of his reflections will be featured in the next issue of Zéphyr, a publication dedicated to nature photographers and videographers. Brouard, born in 1955 in Poitiers, grew up in Vicq-sur-Gartempe in the Vienne department. His early life was shaped by a deep respect for both people and nature, and he developed an early fascination with the natural world, exploring the local landscapes and observing species that had become rare due to hunting and poaching, especially birds of prey. In the 1970s, the French government passed a law in 1976 that helped protect wildlife, although changes were slow. As a teenager, Brouard enjoyed activities like spelunking and rock climbing in the valleys of the Anglin, Gartempe, and Vienne rivers. He recalls the care taken when exploring caves, particularly for bats, and spent summers in Sables d'Olonne, where he discovered diving and marine life. A relative, Uncle Henri, introduced him to using an 8mm film camera, sparking his interest in capturing the ornithological richness of the Vendée marshes on film. Brouard left his hometown of Vicq at 15 to attend a boarding school, where he developed a strong curiosity and interest in social issues, especially after the events of May 1968. His awareness of environmental concerns grew later, particularly during the 1974 presidential election when René Dumont, the first ecologist to run for president, made a strong impression on him. Throughout the 1970s, he worked in popular education, managing stays at vacation and leisure centers. In 1974, he experimented with youth animation in the Pyrenees, later working in the Vercors, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, and Chamonix before settling in Chamrousse, near Grenoble, where he worked at a mountain youth center in Lyon, which closed in the early 2000s. Alongside his wife, Marie-Christine, Brouard dedicated much of his time to expanding his knowledge of nature. Marie-Christine became passionate about plants, while Brouard focused on animals, especially birds. He also took up photography and filmmaking in super 8 format. Fascinated by birds of prey, he supported the FIR (Raptor Intervention Fund), an organization founded by Jean-François Noblet and Michel Terrasse, who worked on reintroducing raptor species such as the black vulture in the Cévennes. In 1981, Brouard invited Michel Terrasse to speak in Chamrousse about his efforts to protect wildlife and his work in raising awareness through film. Terrasse, who passed away in 2023, encouraged Brouard to continue these initiatives, which he would later bring to life in the Deux-Sèvres region.