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Guwahati International
Film Festival
Buoyed by the success last year , the Cine Arts
Society , Assam (Cine ASA) organized the 2ND Cine ASA
Guwahati International Film Festival recently. Famous Sri Lankan Director
Prasanna Vithanage’s film ‘ Akasa Kusum’ was the inaugural film of the
festival and many more of his famous films were screened.. The Festival
featured a restrospective of films by noted Spanish Director, Pedro
Almodovar. The Tribute section of the festival featured films by Soth Korean
director, Kim Ki Duk. Many other acclaimed contemporary films from
Asian as well as European countries, particularly French and Romanian , were
screened . National award Indian feature films were also part of the
festival. A seminar titled “ Future roadmap for films in NE India
‘ was also held in the sidelines of the Festival and was attended by
eminent actors , directors , journalists and film critics.
Lamenting the absence
of an environment that promotes good films, eminent filmmaker
Jahnu Barua said that the best of cinema was not reaching the
public.
“I do not know the exact reasons but the best of films are not reaching
the people… we probably lack an enabling environment that
inculcates a taste for good cinema among the people. We are not
communicating with the people to make them see good films,” Barua said
while addressing the concluding function of the 2nd CineASA
Guwahati International Film Festival-2010 .
Bemoaning the neglect suffered by a powerful medium like cinema, Baruah said
that the filmmakers in Assam and the North-East were doing a good job
despite being plagued by constraints.
“A good filmmaker puts his best into his film and wants people to see it
but that is not happening here… People are not realising how much they are
losing by missing good cinema,” he said, adding that all concerned needed
to do something to reverse the trend.
Barua also felt that notwithstanding the boom in the number of films
across the country, the big question was “whether we are checking the
quality” in making the correct choices for viewing.
“But despite the setback faced by good cinema we should be perseverant,”
he said and added that film festivals were a welcome sign as they place a
number of above-average films on a single platform for public viewing.
“This process must be carried further,” he said.
Noted cinematographer from Mumbai Mazhar Kamran termed cinema as
‘literature in visuals’, saying that its purpose extended beyond mere
entertainment and profit-making. “It relates to the viewer directly and is
a reflection of our lives and times. Its language is universal, and
therefore, can bridge boundaries,” he said. His well-received film
‘Mohandas’ was screened in the Festival.
The winners of the short film contest for upcoming filmmakers of the
North-East were also announced at the function. While Taste of Hilsa
directed by N Langsa won the award for the best director, Eye of an Eye by
Chaoba Thyem got the best film award. Smile by Kashyap Barbora bagged the
special jury mention award.
Noted filmmaker Gautam Bora who was one of the judges for the short film
contest, lauded the young filmmakers for their sincerity and expertise in
highlighting some of the burning issues in a poignant manner.
M Maniram, whose film ‘Mon Jai’ won the Rajat Kamal award in the
National Film Awards , was also felicitated at the function.
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