Assam ambles 82 years to hold GIFF

By our Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, Oct 25: Film industry in Assam is long on age and short on commercialization, making it to wait for long 82 years since the screening of Joymoti in 1935 to witness an intertiol film festival in the State. One has to remain satisfied with the saying ‘better late than never’ as the Guwahati Intertiol Film Festival, 2017 (GIFF) is going to be held in Guwahati from October 28-November 2, 2017. The torch lighted by Rupkonwar Jyoti Prasad Agarwala in 1935 with Joymoti is set to blaze bright now.

Jyoti Chitraban (Film Studio) Society, with the support from the State Government in association with Dr. Bhupen Hazarika Regiol Government Film and Television Institute, is going to hold the festival.

The festival is scheduled in two venues – at three auditoriums in Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra and one in Jyoti Chitraban Film Studio. The theme of the intertiol cine festival is ‘Democracy, Peace and Freedom’.

Talking to The Sentinel, Jyoti Chitraban (Film Studio) chairman Pabitra Margherita said: “Seventy-five films from 32 countries are set to take part in the festival. Everyday 16 films will be screened, four in each of the four auditoriums. Sound engineers and other technicians from Mumbai have already completed the auditoriums. The films to be screen at the festival have been categorized as World Cinema, Indian Panorama, Retrospective, Cinema of Northeast, cinemas from Assam, competition session among the films of Assam. An Assamese film Village Rockstar will be premiered in the festival. Tributes will be paid to Dr, Bhupen Hazarika and Abdul Majid during the festival.

Apart these, there will be master class, open session, exchange of opinion with distinguished persolities, cultural programmes everyday inside and outside auditoriums, etc.

When asked, Margherita said: “The main objective of the festival is to introduce actors, producers and directors of Assam with the world film fraternity and to make them get a concept of Assamese films and culture. We need to thank Chief Minister Sarbanda Sonowal for this venture. The opening film is ‘The Salesman’, an Iranian film directed, written and produced by Asghar Farhadi and starred by Shahob Hosseni and Taraneh Alidoosti. Besides ambassadors from various countries, world-reputed filmmakers like Shaji N Karun, films sound designer Resul Pookutty, Adoor Gopalkrishn, Prassano Vithage, AK Bir, and others will take part in the festival.”

Among the participating countries Turkey will be focused. Popular films like The Harmonium, Glory, We are Never Above, Two Lottery Tickets and other intertiol films will be screened. While Chief Minister Sarbanda Sonowal will iugurate the film festival on October 28, acclaimed film director Adoor Gopalakrishn will be the chief guest in the closing ceremony of the festival.