Itanagar, Mar 7: The second day of the 11th Arunachal Film Festival (AFF) unfolded as a vibrant celebration of storytelling, bringing together filmmakers, artists and cinema lovers for a day of engaging screenings, conversations and shared creative energy.
The day began with the Short Film Grant Pitch, where six shortlisted participants presented their project ideas before a distinguished jury comprising Biplab Goswami, writer of the acclaimed film Laapataa Ladies; Sunny Joseph, National Award-winning director; and Kaushik Das. The session offered an encouraging platform for emerging filmmakers to present their visions and receive thoughtful insights from seasoned professionals. The screening sessions opened with 1999 – Hiraeth by Raymond Colney, followed by an engaging interaction with the director. Parallelly, audiences also witnessed the screening of the top five shortlisted entries in the Documentary Film Competition Section, showcasing powerful and diverse stories from the region. In the afternoon, viewers enjoyed the screening of Hiraeth by Chow Partha Borogohain and The Elysian Field by Pradip Kurbah, both followed by lively discussions with the filmmakers, giving audiences a deeper glimpse into the creative processes behind the films.
One of the main highlights of the day was the panel discussion titled “Rewriting the Narrative: Women Shaping the Future of Cinema.” The session brought together KarryPadu, independent filmmaker and founder of the Wildflowers Project; Bindiya Ete Nalo, director and chairperson of the Arunachal Film Collective; Nang Tanvi Manpong, director of The Little Monk; and Manju Borah, an award-winning filmmaker from Assam. The panelists shared their personal journeys in cinema, speaking candidly about the challenges and possibilities for women filmmakers.  
They underscored the importance of telling authentic stories rooted in the region while embracing evolving perspectives. The discussion also highlighted the need for a strong state film policy, greater encouragement for local talent, subsidies for regional films and a dedicated support system to mentor and guide emerging filmmakers.
The evening session featured a package of four non-fiction films - Lura, The Untold Story of Vijay Nagar, Of Faith & Culture and Ngul Se Seb(The Way of Mithun), each offering unique cultural and social narratives from the region. This was followed by the screening of Jugnuma – The Fable by Ram Reddy and The Shape of Momo by Tribeny Rai, both accompanied by engaging interactions with the filmmakers and actors. Among the dignitaries present, State Chief Secretary Manish Kumar Gupta also attended the screening of Jugnuma – The Fable along with his family. The day concluded with the screening of Kok Kok Kookook by Maharshi Tuhin Kashyap, followed by an engaging interaction with the director and crew, bringing the day’s cinematic journey to a thoughtful close.

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Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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