Guwahati: Thrilled after witnessing the potential in film-making among youngsters from North East, top notch new-era Bollywood directors vouched at the promise the region held and urged for building up the film sector as an industry for a vibrant growth.
Amazed at the quality work of short film-makers of the region, director Dibakar Banerjee said, ‘I could get an impression of the region if someone speaks to me about it. But an intelligent film-maker’s five minutes of film can show me much more than words.’
He was especially appreciative of the short films that he had seen while judging the Brahmaputra Valley Short Films Contest (BVSFC) and said, ‘The short films were an eye-opener as I hadn’t seen this region in such close quarters.’
Mr Banerjee is in the city, along with Anusha Rizvi, Meera Kagti and Zoya Akhtar, for the two-day long Brahmaputra Valley Film Fest that started today. The BVSFC is being held as part of the event.
Ms Akhtar also admitted the short films that she had judged were a ‘pleasant surprise’. ‘There were certain issues or things that I could not understand but Reema (Kagti) explained to me. It was a wonderful experience,’ she said.
Ms Kagti, who hails from Assam, urged the people of the region to come forward and change things for better.
‘There is a difference between North East and mainstream India.There are various factors like negligence of the Centre, political reasons and others,’ she said, adding, ‘But the time has come for people to stand up and create the world they want.’
Ms Kagti also underlined the role of the government in promoting film-making.
Seconding her, Ms Akhtar said NE has beautiful locations and if the government helps out, film-makers could choose to shoot in these serene views.
Mr Banerjee emphasised that films must be promoted as an industry and recalled the golden days of Assamese cinema in the 1960s and 70s.
Ms Rizvi, on her first trip to the region, said promoting regional cinema was essential to help strengthen Indian cinema in entirety. (UNI)