OUR CORRESPONDENT
ITANAGAR: The 11th edition of the Arunachal Film Festival (AFF) began here on Friday night, highlighting the growing landscape of local filmmaking and providing a platform for young storytellers, filmmakers and industry professionals.
Organised by the state Information and Public Relations (DIPR) department, the festival has completed over a decade of promoting regional cinema and encouraging creative expression in the state.
The inaugural event at TNZ Cinemas was attended by Agriculture and Horticulture Minister Gabriel D Wangsu in the presence of Information and Public Relations Minister Nyato Dukam, MLA Chau Zingnu Namchoom and IPR Commissioner Nyali Ete.
Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein also attended the programme and chose to sit among students and delegates as a movie enthusiast, emphasising the idea of cinema as a shared experience beyond official roles.
Addressing the gathering, Wangsu thanked the department for nurturing the film festival over the past decade and expressed optimism that the platform would help showcase Arunachal Pradesh’s culture, traditions and scenic beauty to a wider audience. He said the festival provides an opportunity for filmmakers to engage in professional discussions while highlighting that the advancement of technology offers significant scope for the growth of the film sector in the coming years.
As part of the festival, several technical and academic sessions were organised for aspiring filmmakers. Students attended a workshop on the “Fundamentals of Animation” conducted by FTII faculty member Phidi Pulu, while the top 10 shortlisted student short films were screened before an audience.
Minister Dukam in his address said that under the leadership of Chief Minister Pema Khandu, the film sector in Arunachal Pradesh is expected to grow significantly, enabling local voices and stories to reach a wider audience.
A specialised workshop on cinema camera ecosystems was conducted by Sony India, offering participants exposure to professional filmmaking tools and techniques. The festival also featured a session on independent filmmaking with Stenzin Tankyong and an interactive discussion with producer Ranjan Singh following the screening of the Anurag Kashyap-directed film Kennedy.
Ete highlighted a special panel discussion titled “Women Shaping the Future of Cinema”, which focused on the role of women in filmmaking and the evolution of cinema from concept to screen. The first day of the festival concluded with the screening of the opening feature film The Little Monk.
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