Kohima: Amid the much-hyped Naga peace talks which were on the brink of historic agreement, the second edition of the Nagaland Film Festival was successfully organised by the Film Association of Nagaland (FAN) in collaboration with the Department of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) bringing together the film fraternity from all Northeastern states.
Held at the Capital Convention Centre in Kohima, the two-day festival concluded on Friday.
Addressing a gathering, Nilotpal Majumdar, founder and president of Documentary Resource Initiative, stressed on the need to promote filmmakers in the state through theater.
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State chief secretary Temjen Toy, who was the special guest at the function, recalled how the state government’s foray in films in 2009 facilitated filmmakers in Nagaland. Saying that as Nagaland is gifted with a “huge conservatory of creative minds”, Toy also expressed that “this sector requires support” and that the government has a very important role to play.
Toy assured that the government will play an active role as facilitator and further facilitate in having at least one theatre for which he urged the support of the Film Association of Nagaland (FAN) and the DIPR.
Hoping that in the coming years, the film fraternity will “grow strength to strength”, he said that the next festival will be bigger not only in terms of facilities but also in content with the aim to encourage all creative film related activities towards making “Nagaland a destination for films”.
Prominent filmmaker and a member of the jury in competition section, Utpal Borpujari, emphasised on the importance of proper training in the field of film making and suggested the formation of film appreciation clubs in schools to promote story telling among the young minds and to train them to become better viewers and filmmakers.
Meanwhile, out of 20 fiction films, Fade in, directed by Ankurjyoti Deja from Assam, won the category with Rs 50,000.
Out of the six non-fiction films in the competition, Nawa-spirit of Atey by Santa Maria & Amar Maibam won the category with Rs 50,000.
Chentei Khiamniungan’s documentary Strength in diversity received a special mention at the festival.
