Abdul Gani
Guwahati, Feb 9: Veteran filmmakers of the state are in the opinion of making quality films in small budget for survival of the regional cinema. Taking part in a discussion on the topic ‘Regional film, avenues of funding and scope of promotion in international market’ as a part of the ongoing 4th CineASA Guwahati International Film Festival at Rabindra Bhawan in the city filmmakers have rued at the plight of the local films.
“Financial aspect is very important. But I would say, not all the occasions it’s the main problem. There is quite possibility of making quality films in low budgets. Go for such movies for the revival of the regional cinema if you cannot compete the international market technology wise,” said Gautam Borah, one of the senior most filmmaker of the state, adding that filmmakers of the region have failed to produce quality films. His film ‘Woshobipo’ which won the national award in 1990 failed to qualify at the international level just because it was made in 16mm format.
“There are hundreds of subjects around but I feel may be due to lack of sensitivity our filmmakers have failed to tap it,” he said.
He also advocated of making regional films in multi-languages reach to wider section of viewers. There are instances where regional films are removed from the halls for the high budget Bollywood films. This trend is also killing the field of the regional films.
In a recent occasion Jadumoni Dutta’s national award winning Assamese film ‘Jetukar Pator Dore’ had to make the way for Salman Khan starrer ‘Bodyguard’.
“This harms the regional cinema. We can also make an environment like Manipur, West Bengal or Maharastra where the cinema halls are bound to give preference to the local films,” Borah said.
Another critically acclaimed filmmaker Maulee Senapati who was also present in discussion said that there is no point of fighting with the Bollywood films but to improve the quality of the regional cinema.
“The basic thing is that the quality needed to be improved. The script should be well researched and improved and importantly the regional film should reflect our society. Then definitely it would work,” Senapati said who is known for his documentary films.
His ‘Children of the River: The Xihus of Assam’ on river dolphins was screened in various international festivals in Germany, Mexico, Iran, besides India.
He also urged the people to watch more films made by other national and international filmmakers for the better understanding of the craft.
“We have hardly seen any experimentation in our films. It used to be the same. For example, sound has a distinctive language we need to know how to use it. To understand the cinematic language we need to watch more films,” he added.
Besides, Ehsan Mujid who made ‘Sonam’, the first-ever feature film in Monpa language of Arunachal Pradesh and Mridul Gupta were present on the occasion. (Published in Seven Sisters Post)
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