Minister inaugurates three day North East film festival

The Directorate of Film Festival under the aegis of Ministry of Information & Broadcasting is organising the three day festival “Fragrances of the North-eastern films”.  The festival provides a platform to cine lovers to view films from the North East. The festival is being held at the Siri Fort Auditorium Complex from August 21st – 23rd, 2015.

Minister of State, I&B, Col. Rajyavardhan Rathore has said that the Government intended to make the North East Film Festival, a ‘People’s Movement’ which would become better with each passing year.  The Government remained committed to promote and facilitate popular cinema of the North East so that a long lasting brand equity to the films of the region could be established through such events and film festivals.  Such events also acted as a catalyst to strengthen the talent across platforms from the region.  The Minister stated this while delivering his address at the inaugural ceremony of the three days festival in Delhi on 21 August.

Elaborating further, the Minister mentioned that the films from the North East always attracted attention in International Film Festivals and in academic circles for their canvas of human emotions and their reflections of society. The increase in representation of cinema at such events was definitely a healthy sign of growing culture of cinema in the region. It also reiterated the willingness of creative artists to venture in the medium of cinema. He further mentioned that the creative talent from the region had been regularly winning national and international awards, and travelling to prestigious international festivals over the decades.

During his address the Minister specifically mentioned that the I&B Ministry had undertaken special measures to promote the flow of quality information in the region through the Prasar Bharati network.  The current FM Phase III auction had earmarked 15 channels for bidding which would enable the growth of radio in the region in the private FM domain.  The Minister highlighted the measures being taken to promote quality education in the field of journalism through the Indian Institute of Mass Communication currently at Aizawal.  He also mentioned that efforts were being made to fast track the process of establishing the Film making institute at Arunachal Pradesh.  This initiative was part of the overall vision to promote and strengthen youth talent from the North-Eastern Region.   

The inaugural ceremony on 21 August, witnessed the premiere screening of Manipuri feature film ‘Pallepfam’ which is directed & produced by Shri WanglenKhundongban which is also his debut film. The screening was preceded by three cultural shows that will had the Hojagiri Dance troupe from Tripura, DholPungCholam Dance troupe from Manipur and The Girish and Chronicles, a Hard Rock Band from Sikkim. In order to provide a complete flavour of the region to the visitors, film screenings will be supplemented by cultural programmes, exhibitions of handicrafts and books, food stalls and much more during the festival.

The festival also includes a retrospective of maestro Shri AribamSyam Sharma from Manipur. Six films including two feature films Ishanou and ImagiNingthem and four non feature films titled Orchids of Manipur, The Deer on The Lake, Indigenous Games of Manipur and YelhouJagoi will be screened in the retrospective. 

Apart from the retrospective the film Ko:Yad by eminent film maker from Assam Manju Borah will be showcased. While Tribeny Rai’s films ‘Yathawat’ and “Last Rites” from Sikkim will be presented, ‘Maithya’ directed by Shri Joseph Pulinthanath and ‘Crossing Bridges’ by ‘Sanga DorjeeThongdok will give a glimpse of Tripura and Arunachal Pradesh.

A bouquet of short films from Meghalaya “Karyukai” and Rong’ Kuchak directed by DomnicSangma and from Nagaland  documentary titled ‘The Honey Hunter And The Maker’ directed by Tiainla Jamir  and Story of a House directed by SesinoYhoshu&SophyLasuh will also be presented.

The closing film of the festival will be ‘AisaYehJahaan’ on August 23.

Source: http://cablequest.org/index.php/news/national-news/item/7753-minister-inaugurates-three-day-north-east-film-festival

Source: http://cablequest.org/index.php/news/national-news/item/7753-minister-inaugurates-three-day-north-east-film-festival