Filmmakers in the state have been critical of the government and said it was “clueless” on how much film making can create job opportunities.
Lamenting that filmmakers continue to face hurdles to market films in the absence of a policy and cinema halls, the Meghalaya Film Makers Association (MefilMA) said the State lacks venue to showcase local films.
MefilMA president, Commander Shangpliang said this was one of the major problems all filmmakers face. He said no one not even the State government have a clue on how many job opportunities are created through filmmaking besides nurturing the talent of artists.
Shangpliang recalled on how the State government donated Rs 2 crore as financial assistance for the making of the Bollywood film, Rock On 2 and said, “When we go to the IPR for a film policy they say that this is the subject matter of the Arts and Culture and when we go to them they say otherwise. We are not asking for money even though all we want is a concrete policy in place to promote local filmmakers in our state.”
“We are asking for a policy where matters like the ticket rates are fixed by the film producers and not by the government. We are already contributing to the government in form of the GST likewise if the government provided the filmmakers with a hall they will earn the revenue,” he said, adding, they had already contributed Rs 4 lakh as GST to the government for his local film ‘9 Lad’.
He said “We are now paying the Bijou Cinema hall more than Rs 1-3 lakh a week, the GST including the employee’s engaged at the hall besides expenditure for the CBFC certificates. We have pursued this matter with the government from time to time and got assurances but to no avail,” he said, adding that the present Chief Minister Conrad Sangma is also not showing interest at all to address this problem of the local filmmakers.
“We hardly get a chance of a week or two to show our local films at the Bijou Cinema hall which is not enough to even meet the expenditure spent in making of the film before the Bollywood films takeover which is very discouraging for the local filmmakers in the state,” he said. The state needs halls that will specifically promote locals film in the state, he added.
Informing that the government has allowed 75 per cent capacity in the cinema halls amid the Covid-19 pandemic, he appealed people to watch local films on the big screen to promote the film industry in the state.
Meanwhile, the Khasi Film ‘Ki Ummat’ produced and directed by S Kharsyntiew will be shown at Bijou Cinema Hall from November 19-25, 2021 was released today at Shillong Press Club.
