The International Guwahati Film Festival is in its 18th edition, showcasing regional, national and world cinema. The five-day schedule will showcase films from Germany, Russia, Iran, Sri Lanka, Portugal, Vietnam, Brazil, Montenegro and films in English, Hindi, Assamese, Bodo, Manipuri and Bengali from India. The Gauhati Cine Club organized the inaugural session of the festival was held at the Kanaklal Baruah Auditorium in Guwahati. Internationally acclaimed filmmaker Aribam Syam Sharma graced the occasion as the Chief Guest, and filmmaker Rajni Basumatary as the Guest of Honour.
The session was presided over by Tinnat Atifa in the gracious presence of the President and Secretary of the festival, Absar Hazarika and Madhurima Barua, respectively. In his inaugural speech, Aribam Syam Sharma highlighted the need for and importance of a cinema club and a cinematic environment. Expressing his gratitude, he mentioned how the Gauhati Cine Club has helped him shape his career as a filmmaker and that it is this club that published his book in the late 1980s, which was made into a film. He recalled his association with his fellow filmmakers and film lovers from this club and remembered his friend and colleague, late Bhabendra Nath Saikia and Jahnu Barua.
Rajni Basumatary expressed a grateful note towards organizing a long-running film festival and bringing in some of the great movies to the people of this region. The Guests paid a heartfelt tribute to the two towering cultural icons, Bhupen Hazarika and Zubeen Garg and dedicated this edition of the festival in their honor. The brochure of the festival compiled by Kushal Dutta and the annual publication Chitrachinta edited by Garima Kalita and Miftauddin Ahmed were launched simultaneously in the evening.
Classic Indian film “Ishanou”, directed by Aribam Syam Sharma, was the inaugural film under the Retrospective segment. His two other films, “Imagi Ningthem” and “Sanab”, will be shown in the same segment.
“Samparan” directed by Arup Manna, will be premiered in this festival. National Film Award-winning film “Dinabandhoo”, directed by Munin Barua, will be a tribute screening to Zubeen Garg on which he played the main character and directed music for it. Rajni Basumatary directed film “Gorai Phakhri” will be the closing film of this edition. The festival will screen all the films at the Kanaklal Baruah Auditorium and will conclude on February 17 with a closing function.
