Dreamz Unlimited Director, Tiakumzuk Aier and Naga Filmmaker and Theatre artist Bendang Walling pose for picture with students on the ‘red carpet’ at the inaugural day of 3-day campus Film Festival at Patkai Christian College on November 1. (Morung Photo)
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3-day campus Film Festival kicks off at Patkai Christian College
Morung Express News
Patkai | November 2
The power of art and the importance of visual medium, among others, were stressed at the first-ever 3-day Campus Film Festival under the theme ‘Learning Through Visuals’ which kicked off at Patkai Christian College on November 1.
The festival is being organised by the 5th Semester student of the College’s Department of Mass Communication and Multimedia in collaboration with the Film Association of Nagaland (FAN), Eduversity as Edu Partner and powered by Nagaland Coffee.
What started just as an assignment, confined within a batch, has now turned into a college event, the festival director, TH Salo informed.
The objective of to festival is to come up with a platform to encourage young filmmaker, he said, adding that the department proposed to make it a calendar event of the college.
On the occasion, ‘Lifeline- Stories of Our Heroes,’ a documentary made by 2021 graduated batch of the Department on COVID-19 Frontline Workers in Nagaland, was released by Dr Sedevi Angami, the Director of Christian Institute of Health Sciences and Research (CHISR).
CHISR Director Dr Sedevi Angami speaks during the inaugural day of 3-day campus Film Festival at Patkai Christian College on November 1. (Morung Photo)
Later, the three-day festival was formally launched by Er Seyiekhreetuo Solo, the Extra Assistant Commissioner of Chümoukedima.
Sharing about the documentary, director Randanbeni Patton said that the project was an enriching experience for her batch.
“Hearing the experiences of the frontline workers have made us realise that we are lucky to have such heroes in our society,” she noted. “It gave us the picture of the other side of the world during the lockdown.”
In the process of the filmmaking, we also learned to be professional, hardworking and understand the value of money, she recalled.
‘Art, entertainment very essential in society’
Meanwhile, representing the FAN and sharing his experience, Dreamz Unlimited Director, Tiakumzuk Aier noted that a workshop in 2008 was a turning point for his team and recalled performing at Patkai, when it toured the state then.
Reflecting on film culture in Nagaland, he noted many colleges and universities as well as churches discovering the medium and organising various related event.
This is a positive sign for existing and upcoming filmmaker and through this, gradually art and entertainment industry can grow, Aier added.
He cited the instances of his direction, ‘Nana’ and the web-series ‘Dream and Chaos’, both critically acclaimed and produced by two different Ao churches in Dimapur.
Er Seyiekhrietuo Solo, Extra Assistant Commissioner of Chümoukedima speaks during the inaugural day of 3-day campus Film Festival at Patkai Christian College on November 1. (Morung Photo)
“Art and entertainment and is very essential part of the society. It is through this medium that we can raise voices; things we cannot express or say directly can be expressed,” he opines, adding that the Dreamz Unlimited is also attempting the same via various art forms.
Meanwhile, he admitted that filmmaking is not an easy task, and it is the same everywhere.
The opportunity might be little higher in terms of resources outside, but the struggle is same. Only skills, passion and interest can take you forward, not just resources, he maintained.
In this context, he advised budding filmmakers to “brush up from now on, practice daily, and ‘not to for big opportunity but make every opportunity big.’
Also speaking on the occasion, well-known Naga Filmmaker and Theatre artist Bendang Walling also noted that only skills can take one forward and encouraged the gathering the ‘start using their God-gifted talent.’
He hoped that the festival would lead to spurt of such activities in other institutions.
The Director of ‘Dream and Chaos’ also batted for using original soundtrack, while informing that the web series employing the same. Incidentally, a soundtrack from the series, Tiemla (Hope) 2021 recently won the ‘Best Song of the Year’ at the Nagaland Music Award, 2021.
‘Dig Deep’
While complimenting on the release of the documentary, Dr Sedevi also called for digging deep into stories going beyond the superficial way and bringing out untold stories through the visual medium which he considered as ‘powerful’.
He maintained that Jesus himself was a great ‘visualiser’ by way of narration of parables and so on.
Films are powerful tools to communicate with people and it reflects various aspect of the society, he added.
Reflecting on the theme, ‘Learning Through Visual’, he called upon the teachers to become a facilitator, noting that in the age of explosion of information, responsibilities are changing.
He also batted for inter-disciplinary nature of learning while urging the students to explore their interests in other disciplines.
In his address, EAC Er Seyiekhrietuo noted that “education and Patkai Christian College has become synonymous with ‘quality excellence’, and the institution is a refuge to young ‘minds who have given been their “artistic license to express themselves, their talents and to establish themselves as powerhouse of knowledge and innovation.”
“This Campus Film Festival is another example of the farsighted vision of this institution and the giant strides being taken in the field of quality education,” he added.
He also noted that New Education Policy 2020 is a reminder that the present education system, heavily inclined and in favour of rote learning and memorisation, ‘needs major overhauling, a renaissance of sorts.’
“All the films being screened during this festival have very important social messages that need to be addressed but most importantly ‘understood.’ To question status quo is the very essence of education,” he added.
Reflecting on the social evils like tribalism and lack of civic sense, he quoted late Nelson Mandela that, “Education is the biggest tool that you can use to change the world” and expressed his belief that Patkai has answered this call for change.
Earlier, the College Principal, Dr Thepfuvilie Pierū said that it was the first time such festival was being organised in the college and hoped that it would reveal competent stories and proof effective for the interest of the whole college.
Try to exploit your creativity as much as you can as it can never be exhausted, he added.
On the day, four films – ‘The Neighbour’s Window,’ ‘Zion,’ ‘Chori’ and ‘Cry of the Wild’ -were screened. The festival concludes November 3, with screening of 5 films daily.
