Manipuri filmmaker urges GIFF to screen movies in other NE-states
What's the story
Manipur filmmaker Haobam Paban Kumar has suggested that the movies that are being screened at the ongoing Guwahati International Film Festival (GIFF) should be shown in other northeastern states.
Altogether 108 films, including 52 foreign movies, are being screened in the festival.
They also include Bengali, Malayalam, Punjabi, Marathi, Hindi, Assamese, and other regional films.
Here are the details.
Kumar's statement
Kumar focuses on promotion of film culture in Northeast
Focusing on the importance of the film culture, Kumar said, "GIFF is a very good initiative to promote a film culture in the region and it would be of immense help if it screens its films in other northeastern states so that more people will get to see good films."
"This is real Indian cinema and not Bollywood," the national award-winning filmmaker said.
Quote
Government support lacking for film promotion in Manipur
"Manipur has many independent filmmakers and these films are very popular in Manipur with around sixty releases every year but government support is lacking. For that reason, films are made on very low budgets," said the Manipuri filmmaker.
National Award
Kumar's feature-film won National Award for Best Film on Environment
Though there are very few theatres in Manipur, Kumar said film streaming portals and television releases had opened new horizons and filmmakers should explore these avenues.
Kumar's feature film 'Loktak Lairembee'(Lady of the Lake), which won national award for Best Film on Environment in 2016, portrayed the lives of the fishing community living around the Loktak Lake.