Journalist and Padma Shri awardee Patricia Mukhim has urged film makers from Meghalaya and elsewhere to make films on the prevailing political system in the country in general and the state in particular.
Speaking as the chief guest at the closing function of the Kelvin Cinema Festival 2023 held at the U Soso Tham Auditorium, Mukhim said, “We really need to re-jig the system, we need to reform the system and cinema is such a powerful communication medium. We can sing, we can write but when we watch a film it shakes something in you.”
She also said that films are the best way to carry forward a good message beyond the city of Shillong especially because the wrong people are continued to be voted to power every five years.
Mukhim also said that she wished the film makers would make some more meaningful films.
She hoped that in the coming years there would be more incisive film making that will shake the ecosystem in the state.
“Our environment is in a crisis. We need more films to show the horrors of coal mining, which is going on illegally at the moment. We also need to actually showcase the horrors of stone quarrying. We are mining sand…we are mining everything we are just not bothered about nature anymore. If anything can shake our soul, films can do that,” Mukhim added.
Meanwhile, Rima Das the guest honour said that being an independent filmmaker is a tough job but still they make them.
Das said that when ‘Village Rockstars’ received lots of accolades that time she also got a lot of offers to make films and producers came to her with proposals to make commercial films.
“But what we are doing is making such efforts to create something. Sometimes I look at the world and I feel why I am here…probably to contribute and create something as a filmmaker,” she said.
Das said that when one is dominated with commercial films but when she comes to a (film) festival and sees the audiences who really love cinema, since it is an art, then it is inspiring to her.
Das is a filmmaker from Assam best known for her 2017 film Village Rockstars, which won several national and international awards and became India’s official entry for the 90th Academy Awards in the Best Foreign Language Film category.
The second edition of the three day film festival was presented by Shankar Lall Goenka & Jeevan Ram Mungi Devi Goenka Public Charitable Trust in association with Fraternity Art Cine Entertainment Shillong.
The list of the winners of the second edition of Kelvin Cinema Festival, 2023 are – Best Film: Son of the soil directed by Akasnhya Bhagabati, Best Director, Sankirang Khongwir for the film Ka Pateng, Best Actor (male), Pynkmen Lyngdoh Manwai for the film: Ka Pateng & Jyylop, Best Actor (female): Millo Sunka for the film, Noctural Burger, Best Cinematographer: EL Dhar for the film, Ka Pateng, Best Sound Design to Sukanya Bhawal for the film, Ek Divas and Best Editor went to Reema Maya & Rohan Kapoor for the film, Nocturnal Burger.
