After four successful editions, the 5th edition of Brahmaputra Valley Film Festival (BVFF) has started from 15th to 17th September at Pragjyoti ITA Centre, Machkhowa, Guwahati. Nationally and internationally acclaimed film personalities such as Vishal Bharadwaj, filmmaker, producer, screenwriter, and music composer, known for his films such as Omkara, Kaminey, Haider, and Rangoon; Gauri Shinde, the director of films like English-Vinglish and Dear Zindagi; Abhishek Chaubey, known for films such as Ishqiya, Dedh Ishqiya and Udta Punjab; filmmaker Nagesh Kukunoor, who is the visionary figure behind Iqbal, Dor, and Dhanak; the versatile Nagraj Majule, whose latest film, Sairat, became the first Marathi film to gross over Rs 100 crores worldwide; and Adil Hussain, an internationally acclaimed actor who received the Special Jury Award at the 2017 National Film Awards, will be a part of the 3-day festival.
The festival will see screening of films from all across the Northeast along with a few invited films from the rest of India, interactive sessions, a 3-day workshop on Film Appreciation by Film and Television Institute of India, Pune, in addition to a film quiz, panel discussions and the highly anticipated award ceremony.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony of the festival, Tanushree Hazarika, Director of BVFF said, “It’s an honour to have the best of the film fraternity for the festival. Dignitaries like Nagesh Kukunoor and Vishal Bharadwaj are renowned names in the film arena of the nation and it’s a big thing to have them at BVFF. We aspire to become one of the best film festivals of the nation. We hope that the festival opens new floodgates of opportunities for the aspiring filmmakers of the region. The festival has some brilliant films lined up for screening.”
Vishal Bharadwaj, recipient of one Filmfare Award and seven National Film Awards, is one of the esteemed guests at the festival. Speaking about the festival, he said, “Mera Assam se reeshtha bohut purana hai (I have a long relationship with Assam). I came to Assam for the first time in 1982, to play cricket. I have worked in various parts of Northeast while shooting of my films. I love film festivals, because I believe the study of films begins from film festivals. Agar film festivals na hote, hum aaj director na hote (If there were no film festivals, I wouldn’t have been a director today).”
Since 2014, the BVFF has presented a Lifetime Achievement Award every year to honour exceptional contribution to cinema in the Northeast. In the previous years, the award had been conferred on Shri Aribam Shyam Sharma (2014) from Manipur, Shri Abdul Mazid (2015) from Assam, and Smt Jnanada Kakoti (2016). This year, the award will be conferred on renowned Assamese director, Shri Munin Barua.
The BVFF was conceived in 2013 with the objective of promoting Northeast cinema and providing a platform for regional filmmakers. The festival also aims to bring together great storytellers under one roof, offering the audience a dynamic experience which combines cinema, short films, documentaries, culture and performing arts.
The first day of the festival began with films like Loktak Lairembee, Liakat, My Name is Eeooow, and Mukti Bhawan.
The second day of the festival will have films like Escaping Time, Aaba, Sairat, and films from BVFF contest.
The final day of the festival also has some brilliant films for the audience like Cine Basket, A Death in the Gunj, The Black Cat, and Antardrishti.
Speaking about the festival, actor Adil Hussain said, “I am extremely delighted about the festival, because the festival witnesses amazing films from all over the country which are not seen otherwise in theatres. The festival is a bridge between individual and society, and individual and the universe at large, because it helps the audience to learn, to gain wisdom, and to evolve at large.