Seeing a need for a film policy that will guide the state in its support of the industry, the Mass Media Department of St Anthony’s College, Shillong, held a summit last month to discuss a draft Meghalaya State Film Policy.
The summit, held on the sidelines of the college’s annual Indie8 Documentary Film Festival on March 9, was organised in collaboration with the Department of Mass Communication and Journalism at NEHU. Filmmakers, as well as academics, enthusiasts, critics and other stakeholders, gathered at the college to engage in dialogue and exchange ideas regarding the policy.
During the summit, numerous ideas and viewpoints were shared, discussed and refined, ultimately resulting in the creation of a draft policy.
The Meghalaya State Film Policy is a proposed policy document aimed at developing the state as a significant centre for film production by promoting and publicising Meghalaya’s cultural, mythological and historical heritage, provide opportunities for the development of acting and filmmaking talent, job creation, attract additional investment and provide affordable entertainment to the people of the state and country.
The policy proposes to declare Meghalaya film as an industry and define Meghalaya cinema as films released in any part of the state and produced in any ethnic language of Meghalaya.
This policy is an essential step towards recognising the potential of the state’s film industry and fostering its growth as a creative economy, a press release stated today. The draft has incorporated “all the points raised and discussed during the summit.”
Comments and suggestions on the draft are sought after before it will be submitted to the state government.
The policy can be accessed through www.massmediashillong.com/meghalaya-state-film-policy-draft. Comments are open until April 27, 2023 and can be sent via email to massmedia@anthonys.ac.in.
