Editor,
Something must be said about Indie8, the Independent Film Festival organized by St. Anthony’s College, Shillong! Confluence is a difficult thing. And frequently, rare. We are so profoundly diverse, yet connected through our music, traditions and sentiments. For those blessed with the privilege of growing up in the North East, this unique ability to connect and converge, in spite of our differences, confounds everyone else. We are special. The children across our schools and colleges are special. And the educators and teachers, icons and mentors who have chosen to walk with us and lead us are remarkable human beings who see the light of day in the smiles of those whose lives they touch.
Indie8 is confluence. A magnificent testament to the collective journey of the creative process in storytelling that only films, filmmaking and the art of theatre can evoke within us – the creators, and you and I. I’m choosing to write about this, because I was genuinely moved and lifted by the glorious culmination of so much effort and creativity at the inaugural programme of Indie8 – a platform for independent film makers and filmmaking we can proudly attribute to the Department of Mass Communication at St. Anthony’s College, Shillong.
Phenomenal! An inauguration that married the magic of sound, light, colour, tradition and culture with the indelible spirit of a young, emerging North East India. The fusion of theatre, dance and film against the backdrop of a 100 years of Indian Cinema could not have been more warmly received by the enthusiasm of a promising college community, cheering on sequences and songs from some of Bollywood’s more memorable classics through the ages. The Governor of Meghalaya’s tasteful articulation of the spirit of films and cinema carried a message of hope through media for the next generation. But the highlight of the morning, was the soul stirring tribute to Fr John D Jayakumar, founder of the Department and a teacher and mentor to so many of us.
Indie8 is a labour of Love. Nothing less. And if the inauguration is anything to go by, this festival is just one of the many reasons we are, the new North East. Congratulations to the team behind the festival. Efforts that bring communities and cultures together, constructively are commendable and inspirational. May Indie8 allow the stories of so many, to be told and heard through film and collaborative communication. Miles to go. But, what a beginning!
Yours etc.,
Mark Stone Laitflang,
Managing Director,
Avenues, Shillong
Thanks for the parking space!
Editor,
It was pleasing to note that the Shillong Traffic Police has made some concessions by allowing roadside parking in some areas of Police Bazaar. This is about time as, in the recent past, it had become almost impossible to park anywhere without the threat of tyres being clamped even in areas where there are no ‘No Parking’ signs. The SP Traffic should consider allowing parking in more areas where flow of traffic will not be disturbed especially where the road is one way. Parking fees for these areas may be charged at a higher rate. The efforts of the police to bring some semblance of order to the chaotic traffic is appreciated but wholesale banning of parking on public roads is really not the answer.
Yours etc.,
D.M.Pariat,
Shillong-3
ATM malfunction at Hotel Pinewood
Editor,
I write this so that ATM/Debit card holders are kept informed of the wrong doings by some banks. I was presented a bill for dining at Hotel Pinewood on 15th July, 2013. I paid vide ICICI Debit card and soon after I received a message on my mobile that the amount has been deducted from my account. The same message was repeated 3 times. After a minute or two the waiter came back returning the card saying it was not working and showing error in the Hotel’s Swipe machine. On investigation it was found that the receptionist had swiped the card 3 times which means payment of the same bill three times as it was showing error. On checking with AXIS Bank, since the swipe machine was that of AXIS, it was found that no amount had been credited to the Hotel Pinewood account. Ultimately I had to pay cash the next day. The Hotel employees say that this is a common feature with the swipe machine. I have since taken up the matter with both ICICI and AXIS bank authorities but the matter lies unresolved till today. The moot question is where has the money gone. Who will pay and who is responsible for such glitches ? This is very frightening as we read all the time about scamming, hacking, fraudulent activities in ATM booths, ATM card cloning etc. Even the Ombudsman RBI is quiet on this issue. Customers should be very careful of internet transactions.
Yours etc.,
Nesfied B Sangma,
Via email