Chumoukedima, November 2 (MTNews): The 3-day campus film festival 2.0 got underway at Patkai Christian College (PCC) on 1st November 2022. The event is being organized by the PCC Department of Multimedia and Mass Communication in collaboration with the Film Association of Nagaland under the theme “Exploring the World of Cinematic Realism.”
Special Guest, Joint Director IEC, Metevinuo Sakhrie while launching the film festival at Patkai Christian College Auditorium said, since 2020 Nagaland State Aids Control Society (NSACS) under the aegis of the National Aids Control Organization has been organizing online short films competition under the theme “Knowledge is bliss.”
She stated that the objective of the short film competition was to use the power of audio- visual media blended with the creativity of young minds to spread awareness about HIV/AIDS.
DPRO Dimapur, Lolano Patton also speaking in the festival as a Special Guest pointed out that the scenario of film industry in Nagaland was still at its nascent stage. She however said that it was very encouraging to note the emergence of many talented Naga film makers whose documentaries and short feature films are being noticed by audiences across the globe.
To capitalize on the keen interests shown by the younger generation towards film making, the Department of Information & Public Relations Nagaland has been made the Nodal department for Films for the state of Nagaland and since November 2018, the department has also organized three Film festivals, she said.
Patton however clarified that the department is not the funding agency as far as the film industry is concerned but just the facilitating department.
“At times the department promotes the local filmmakers in a small way by rolling out commissioned programs,” she added.
According to her, “Dubbing Cinema is an extremely powerful medium due to its reach to a wider audience” and opined that films which have an element of social messages would have more powerful connection with the audience and can even serve as the impetus for social change.
Stating that there are so many interesting stories about Nagaland that are worth narrating she impressed upon the upcoming film makers and the students of multimedia and mass communication for exploring the unexplored Nagaland by focusing on the Rich Naga culture and traditions, the closely knitted strong community bonding of the Nagas, community fishing, Naga way of harvesting to name a few and observed that such stories would have cinematic realism with a touch of creativity and proper research.
“We are sitting on nature’s lap with abundant beauty and cultural diversity and for which people even from abroad are coming to Nagaland to film stories because they are confident to get unique stories,” she maintained.
She lauded the young film makers while observing that even with limited facilities they have made significant progress and was optimistic that the upcoming Naga film makers would bring more accolades with their stories through films even in the days to come.