‘Film makers of Northeast must tell stories of the region to the world’

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By Bobo Khuraijam
ITANAGAR, February 17: The Governor of Arunachal Pradesh, JP Rajkhowa inaugurated Film, Noortheast, a four-day film festival which is to be held from February 17 to 20 at the Annexe Lawns, Indira Gandhi Park, Itanagar today evening.

Two prominent filmmakers, Aribam Syam Sharma of Manipur and Jahnu Barua of Assam who have both made internationally acclaimed films were facilitated by the Governor on behalf of the organiser.

Aribam Syam speaking during the inaugural function expressed his happiness to the organiser of the festival and also for including a retrospective section on his films, which are to be screened during the four-day cinema extravaganza of the Northeast exclusively. “This festival is a good beginning and I hope it will be a meaningful platform for creative expression particularly for the film makers of the region”, he said.

He continued that India is a vast country with diverse culture and tradition in which the Northeast is unique because of its vast ethnic diversity. “The film makers of Mongoloid-indigenous people of this region need to express themselves through their cinemas”, he added.

Acclaimed film maker of Assam, Jahnu Barua lauding the effort of the organiser in hosting such event pointed out that young film maker of the Northeast should not try to emulate the story telling style of the Bollywood or Hollywood. He said, “You must find your own stories and you should not doubt in your talents. The world needs to know the stories of this region”.

Jahnu Barua also maintained that film making does not end with ‘light-camera-action’. “It is an art which is much beyond it. For that one has to work hard, study a lot and at the same time have full faith in their conviction and story”, he added.

According to the festival Director, Moji Riba, the festival is an initiative of the former Chief Minister, Nadam Tuki which has been materialised by the Information and Public Relation department of the government of Arunachal and Film Federation of Arunachal collectively.

It may be mentioned that the festival will screened a total of 77 films which will include documentaries, short films and feature films. On the first day, Manipuri film makers Meena Longjam’s ‘Autodriver’, Akee Sorokhibam’s ‘Alternative Dancer’ and Datamo’s ‘Bandh Leppase’ was screened among other films.

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