SHILLONG, July 25: The state government has assured its support to national award-winning filmmaker Dominic Megam Sangma to screen his acclaimed film Rapture in Meghalaya. This assurance came from Arts and Culture Minister Paul Lyngdoh on Thursday.
“Request the individual and individuals concerned to approach the government. Nobody has done so far; it will be very difficult for the department to function on the basis of news reports. Perhaps the individual concerned has not been properly guided,” Lyngdoh said. He encouraged Megam to reach out directly to the government, promising, “He has every right to come knocking on the doors of the Secretariat and approach us. We will certainly do our level best to support and help him.”
Dominic’s film Rapture has been screened in over 100 theatres in France, receiving international acclaim for its poignant storytelling and striking cinematography. Despite this success, Megam has faced challenges in screening the film in his home state of Meghalaya, particularly in Shillong.
“The film has been released in France and has travelled, but I have been struggling to screen my film in Shillong. There is no support. Nobody from the government has come to me assuring support to screen the film in the state capital,” Dominic told The Shillong Times. He expressed frustration at the lack of local support, adding, “I cannot afford to screen the film for my people, but many think I am not screening it deliberately. One has to be stupid to not want to screen a film for one’s own people.”
Despite these hurdles, he has managed to organise a screening of Rapture in Tura from August 15-25. Directed by Megam and produced by Shillong’s Anna Films, Rapture explores the cultural and spiritual realms of the Garo community. It is the first film from Meghalaya to be screened on such a large scale in a European country, highlighting the global recognition of Garo cinema.
