Kivini Shohe’s‘Oh My Soul,’ Sesino Yoshu and Sophy Lasuh’s ‘Story of a House’ and Yapangnaro Longkumer’s ‘River Story’ were films from Nagaland screened at the first edition of the Guwahati International Documentary, Short and Animation Film Festival (GIDSAFF). The Festival was organised by Jyoti Chitraban in association with the Dr. Bhupen Hazarika Regional Government Film and Television Institute (DBHRGFTI) with support from the Government of Assam at the Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra premises from January 22-24.
This was informed in a press release from the Nagaland filmmakers.
Altogether 115 films from 25 countries, including 17 documentaries in the international kaleidoscope section, 29 documentaries in the national kaleidoscope section, 23 short films in the international kaleidoscope section, 19 short films in the national kaleidoscope section, 12 animation films in the international kaleidoscope section and 14 animation films in the national kaleidoscope section were screened at the festival.
GIDSAFF’s state in focus was Manipur from where five films were screened. The films included Ima Sabitri directed by Bobo Khuraijam, Theatre of the Earth directed by Oinam Doren, Haobam Paban Kumar’s Phum Shang, Sonia Nepram’s Bloody Phanek and Auto Driver directed by Meena Longjam.
In the retrospective section, the organisers choseto screen internationally acclaimed Assamese filmmaker Gautam Bora and his works An Unending Expense, Sons of Abotani and Old Man River. In the competition section 15 short films were included.
As a part of the Festival, one masterclass on ‘Blurring Borders of Fiction and Nonfiction’ and two sessions of Open forum and topics ‘Non Fiction films and media-reality check’ and ‘Creating a Documentary Culture- reality check’ were also held.
(MExN)
