Film festival begins

SHILLONG, Feb 18: Renowned filmmaker Jahnu Barua said that art and culture are much broader in their perspective than is generally assumed.  “Art and culture begins with one’s conduct and takes shape every moment,” he during the inauguration of a two-day documentary film festival on art and culture at the Don Bosco Youth centre on Wednesday.

Barua said that literacy or education does not determine whether a person is cultured or not. “It stems from one’s daily action.”

The festival, organised by the Guwahati-based Film & Cultural Society of North East in collaboration with the Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts, saw a well-attended opening day. The opening film Brush with Life on versatile artist Satish Gujral directed by Sujata Kulshrestha was watched by a capacity audience of 220-odd viewers.

Among those who spoke during the opening ceremony were Meghalaya Additional Director General of Police SK Jain, State Education Secretary Frederick Kharkongor, former Meghalaya DGP William Richmond Marbaniang.

Four documentaries were screened on the opening day including one on Wangala festival and on Thang Ta, a martial art form of Manipur. Painter and sculptor Raphael Warjri also interacted with the audience.

Meghalaya is hosting the second leg of the festival which will be touring the eight states of the Northeast after being inaugurated in Jorhat(Assam) on February 10 by the Mumbai-based filmmaker and Mr V B Pyarelal, the Additional Chief Secretary of the Government of Assam.

The festival is aimed at sensitising the youth, especially the students, on works of art and culture that have made human civilisation richer.  The films screenings are followed by a discussion with invited experts from various fields.

On Thursday, documentaries on the German composers Richard Wagner and Robert Schumann, and a documentary by Danish Film Institute shall also be screened.- By Our Reporter