PUNE: The third edition of the North-East Film Festival is all set to be held in the city on February 24 and 25. The festival is being organised by the National Film Archive of India (NFAI), with support from Symbiosis Ishanya Cultural and Educational Centre (SICEC).
While the festival is not based on any theme, this year, it has given great importance to the languages spoken in the North-Eastern states. In all, 11 films, in eight languages, will be screened.
“There is an array of languages spoken in the eight states of North-East India. While people know about the most popular ones, there are many we have not heard of. For instance, there is a film in the Koch-Rajbongshi language that many people don’t know about, which is spoken in North Bengal. We are screening the first-ever film made in the Tiwa language spoken by an indigenous tribal community inhabiting Assam and Meghalaya,” Shirish Sahasrabudhe of SICEC said.
He said the festival began with the purpose of erasing the alienation that the North-Eastern people face in our country. “For our first festival, the audience was only the North-Eastern community in Pune. However, last year, we got a huge response from all Puneites, and are expecting the same this year,” he added.
Choloma (First Feature Film in Tiwa Language), Sonar Baran Pakhi (Koch-Rajbongshi), Reign of Lindokpo - a documentary on Karbi community, Puinau Puidaa, Manipuri, Ishu (Mizo), etc. are some of the films that will be screened. Some films will be screened at NFAI Auditorium, some at English Language Teaching Institute of Symbiosis (ELTIS), Model Colony. The detailed timetable is available on the NFAI website.
There will be many stalls dedicated to food and culture of the North-Eastern states on the premises of NFAI.
