Altogether 108 films from 60 countries will be screened at the Second Guwahati International Film Festival to be held here from October 25 to 31
STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI, Sept 9: Come October. The City will rendezvous with world cinema.
Altogether 108 films from 60 countries will be screened at the Second Guwahati International Film Festival (GIFF) to be held here from October 25 to 31.
Movie buffs from Assam and different parts of the North East and rest of India will enjoy the films that were critically acclaimed on the international film festival circuits, during the weeklong event at Srimanta Sankardeva Kalakshetra at Panjabari and Jyoti Chitraban (Film Studio) Society premises at Kahilipara.
The festival is being organized by the Jyoti Chitraban (Film Studio) Society, in association with Bhupen Hazarika Regional Government Film and Television Institute, along with the support of the Assam Government.
An elated Cultural Minister Naba Kumar Doley told reporters here on Sunday that the first GIFF held last year was a big hit and his department would leave no stone unturned to repeat the same this year too. He said the decision on selecting the opening movie for the second GIFF will be taken later.
Doley on Sunday launched the online registration system for those interested in participating in the film festival.
Chairman of the Jyoti Chitraban (Film Studio) Society Pabitra Margherita said cinema lovers above 18 years of age can register as delegates by paying a fee. While a large number of student delegates from Assam participated in the last year’s film festival, the organizers will try to rope in students from other NE States to this year’s festival. “The delegates can watch any film at any of the venues. Neither passes will be issued nor tickets sold,” Margherita said.
Srinivasa Santhanam, who had curated the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) and the Mumbai Film Festival, besides Bangalore, Goa, Pune and Chennai film fests, is the adviser-cum-programmer of the festival.
Margherita said the first GIFF organized a competition of Assamese films and the similar type of competition will see participation of some of the best movies from different NE States. The best film to be selected by a jury will receive Rs 3 lakh. The second best movie will receive Rs 2 lakh. The Juri Special Award carrying Rs 1 lakh will be given to the third best movie. He said the organizers will try to hold an all India film competition next year.
According to Margherita the films on 50 languages from 60 countries will be screened. He said connoisseurs of cinemas, artistes, movie buffs and ambassadors from different countries will participate in the second GIFF.
The State Government has fixed Rs 3 crore as the budget for the second GIFF to make it a grand success.