In the mid 19th Century, the village of Khawnglung in Mizoram was the site of a famous battle between the warring tribes of the State. Known as Khawnglung Run, or the raid of Khawnglung, this incident forms the background of a 2012 film by the same name in the Mizo language, made for just Rs. 12 lakhs.
Given its budget, and the fact that the filmmaker Mapuia Chawngthu is a full-time Hindi teacher in a village close to Aizawl, Mizoram, audiences are sure to carry certain assumptions of the film when it gets screened in Delhi this Friday. But it will doubtless unsettle those assumptions, much like the eight other films that are being screened as part of ‘Fragrances from the North East’ - a festival of films organised by Directorate of Film Festival (DFF), Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, at Siri Fort Auditorium.
Curated by film critic and documentary filmmaker Utpal Borpujari, the three-day festival (August 22-24) has films from all eight states of the region. These include two National Award winning films of this year: Jahnu Barua’s “Ajeyo” (Assamese) and Pradip Kurbah’s “Ri: A Homeland of Uncertainty” (Khasi, Meghalaya).
While Sikkim will be represented by Prashant Rasaily’s Gurkhali film “Katha”, Manipur, Tripura and Arunachal Pradesh will be represented by Oinam Gautam Singh’s “Phijigee Mani”, Joseph Pulinthanath’s Kokborok language film “Yarwng” and Ahsan Muzid’s Monpa language film “Sonam” respectively. From Nagaland, a short film titled “Bamboo Shoots” directed by Steven Ao and a documentary titled “Going the Distance” directed by Tiainla Jamir will be screened.
While they are being packaged with a common identity for the benefit of audiences in Delhi, it is important to note that they belong to states with different cultures and histories of making and viewing cinema. While Assam and Manipur have longer histories of film activities, “other states have been making films off and on since the ’90s”, says Borpujari. Moreover, since many of these are made in languages spoken by very small populations, the enterprise is guided by a love of the medium rather than any commercial considerations, he opines.
Of late, however, a younger generation of filmmakers has started looking at global markets. Taking the example of “Crossing Bridges”, a feature film in the Sherdukpen language that has been acquired by a French distribution firm, he adds, “...Once you step out of India it becomes an Indian film. Outside India nobody is bothered whether it is in Hindi or Sherdukpen as long as the content is good.”
While there is a definite audience for regional films, it is unlikely to manifest itself in the form of more theatrical slots. Instead, Borpujari suggests, through facilitation by the Central and State Governments, more opportunities across the country to view quality films made in different states could be created. “There is a film viewing culture, you have to nourish it and give it the necessary push,” he says.
Apart from the films, the festival will also have musical performances by Papon and choir group Nagaland Singing Ambassadors. The region’s food and handicrafts will also be showcased.
“The main objective is to give a wholesome experience of the North East to the people attending. Films are one segment of it, what we've tried to do is represent all eight states in terms of films, handicrafts and food. That’s exactly why we’ve called it ‘Fragrances from the North East’, it’s as though these fragrances are wafting into Delhi,” says Shankar Mohan, Director, DFF.
(Entry to films and performances is free. A photo identity card is required for security reasons.)
