With a society that is sheathed in insurgency for decades, it is only likely that the State is to see a film festival on the theme of terrorism early this month. The second edition of the Guwahati Film Festival begins in the capital city of Assam next week with as many as 40 feature films and 15 short films picked from different States, and the common thread that binds them together is the topic of anti-terrorism.
The 42-year-old Gauhati Cine Club is the festival organiser. Kanak Kalita, the club secretary, pins down the reason behind the festival theme.
“Films are the pulse of the society. They portray everyday life. With the region in turmoil for so long, and people craving for peace ever more, we thought what better way to depict it than organise a festival of films that address similar issues?
” He says there will be a separate section for northeastern films in the festival. The finalised list of films will be out by this week. However, the opening film has been decided. “It is a Manipuri film called ‘Nobap' directed by Heisnam Tomba.”
With hardly any cinema hall functional in the city, the films will be screened at the well-known city auditoriums, Rabindra Bhavan and Lakshmiram Baruah Sadan. “After the festival is inaugurated by the State Chief Minister on December 10 at Rabindra Bhavan, we will have four regular shows at the auditorium till December 16, the concluding day of the festival. Besides, there will be three shows every day at Lakshmiram Baruah Sadan.” Many well-known names of Assamese film industry including Jayanta Baruah, who acted in the first Assamese film “Joymoti”, will be felicitated during the event.
A seminar
Also, the six-day event will also host a seminar on “Terrorism and Cinema.” The seminar, among others, will be addressed by well-known film critic from France, Barbara Lorey De Lacharriere.
“There will be a lot of scope for local directors for a discussion on a range of subjects,” he says. Bollywood actor Irrfan will be present at the concluding ceremony of the festival.
The Gauhati Cine Club started in 1965 under the leadership of Bhupen Hazarika “to create serious a discourse and debate in the cinematic and intellectual world of Assam and also to create awareness in the society about cinema as a serious art form.”
Kalita concludes, “The festival is an expression of the Club's continued endeavour towards this direction.”
