Aruchal to host 'Film Northeast 2016' in February

FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT

ITAGAR, Dec 28: Aruchal Pradesh is all set to host ‘Film Northeast 2016’, a film festival of the region from February 17 to 20 next here to promote an understanding and appreciation of the diversity of cinema in Northeast.

Jointly organized by the Information and Public relation department in association with Film Federation of Aruchal (FFA), the four-day event coinciding with the Statehood Day celebration on February 20 was formally announced by Chief Minister bam Tuki today during a press conference organized at the Press Information Centre at the new civil secretariat here.

Stating that there is no dearth of talents in the state, Tuki disclosed that his government is contemplating to provide assistance to the budding filmmakers of the state and accordingly going to frame policy guidelines soon in this regard.

“Though Aruchal is a new comer in the field of film making, with the establishment of Film and Television Institute (third in the country) at Jote near here, the youths of the state could compete with the outside world and the festival is a part of the institute project to expose the talents of the state,” Tuki said.

He said picturesque Jote would be an educatiol hub for the state with the coming up of the NIT and the FTI.

“Through such events frustrated youths of the state could be engaged in film making which will curb unemployment problem up to some extent. These are areas where we can generate more employment avenues,” he pointed out while exhorting all stakeholders to inculcate the “Team Aruchal’ spirit to make the event a grand success.

IPR Parliamentary Secretary Bamang Felix informed that the aim of the festival is to showcase the state’s rich tribal culture and tradition and hospitality.

Referring to the FTI, Felix stated that many chief ministers of the region were apprehensive and opposed the announcement of establishment of the FTI in the state by Fince Minister Arun Jaitely state during his budget speech this year.

“It is a challenge for us to host the festival despite limited resources and I am sure we will be able to prove that we are not inferior to other states,” Felix said with conviction.

Chief secretary Ramesh Negi said that films are a bridge to cultural understanding between people.

“The film festival will be harbinger of better understanding among the North east people through culture, compassion and creativity sharing,” the chief secretary added.

IPR secretary Som Chombey in his power point presentation informed that the festival would serve as a platform to bring people of the region closer.

With 67 films to be screened in both competitive and non-competitive categories including children category, the festival would provide a space for filmmakers of the region to interact and engage and to showcase and nurture talent in the art of cinema besides promoting an active cinema culture and cinema viewing in all states of the region.

In the competitive segment four categories of films would be screened including Chiaroscuro where one feature film from all the states of the region would be screened, Clapperboard where shot films would be screened, our stories (documentary films on contemporary issues) and First cut, where debut films would be screened.

The non-competitive segment also consisted of four categories mely Magic Mirror (retrospective of a leading filmmaker of the region, Bioscope (children films to be screened)(, Clapstick Caravan ( best student film from SRFTI Kolkata) and Aruchal Prevue where best of shorts, documentaries and feature films from Aruchal would be screened.

There would be also side events like directors speak, script writing and sound design workshops and film bazaar incorporating various facets of film making would be organised during the event.

Renowned Bollywood director Vishal Bharadwaj, actors Saheed Kapoor, Saif Ali Khan and Kangka Rawat who would visit the state during February to shoot their film Rangoon, would be part of the award ceremony of the festival on February 20 next year.