Guwahati: The 10th Chalachitram National Film Festival (CNFF) concluded in Guwahati on October 25, with films from Assam and Manipur winning top awards in the Northeast India section.
‘The Silent Crisis’, directed by Smitakshi B Goswami from Assam, received the Best Documentary Award, while ‘Toy Gun’, directed by Parashuram Thingnam from Manipur, won the Best Short Feature Award.
In the Rest of India section, ‘Gaach Pathar’, directed by Somnath Bag, won the Best Short Feature Award, while ‘The Redemption’, directed by Harikishan MV, received the Best Documentary Award.
The closing ceremony was held at Jyoti Chitraban Film Studio in Kahilipara on Sunday in the presence of State Minister Nilima Devi and RSS Asom Kshetra Prachar Pramukh Dr Sunil Mohanty.
Other major awards included Best Director for Sumi Saikia for ‘In 9 Months’, while Shiddhartha Sharma received recognition for ‘Ankur’. Rupamjyoti Saikia won Best Cinematographer for ‘The Khamyang Story’, and Ambarish Barkataki received the Best Editor Award for ‘Ananta Jatra’. ‘Take Away’, directed by Nithan, received the Jury’s Special Mention.
Addressing the closing ceremony, Minister Nilima Devi said making documentaries and short feature films is a challenging task. She encouraged filmmakers to explore the lives of martyrs and great personalities through cinema so that the younger generation can learn about India’s history and cultural heritage.
Dr Sunil Mohanty said cinema is an important medium for presenting ideas and shaping public understanding. He expressed hope that Chalachitram would encourage filmmakers to produce more films based on Indian heritage and culture for audiences across the world.
The two-day festival began on October 24 with the screening of Japanese film ‘Kintsugi’, directed by Noomen Noomen. The film tells the story of a young professional dealing with childhood trauma and unresolved grief before finding peace.
A total of 44 documentaries and short feature films were screened in competitive and non-competitive sections during the festival.
The festival concluded with the screening of ‘Present’, directed by Uzbek filmmaker Asadbek Akmal Ogli. The film follows young cancer patients who find moments of happiness in the company of a clown before the story takes an unexpected turn.
Organised by Chalachitram, a subsidiary of Vishwa Samvad Kendra–Assam, the festival was held under the theme ‘Our Heritage, Our Pride’. National Award-winning filmmaker Dr Santwana Bardoloi inaugurated the festival.
A festival souvenir titled ‘Chalachitram’, edited by senior cine journalist Hemchandra Doley, was also released during the inaugural ceremony by Vidyasagar, chairman of Jyoti Chitraban Film Society.
A special screening of ‘Bhupen Da Uncut’, directed by filmmaker Bobbeeta Sharma, was also organised to mark the birth centenary of Bharat Ratna Dr Bhupen Hazarika.
The organisers, including VSK Assam Secretary Kishor Shivam, CNFF President Nava Thakuria and Secretary Bhagawat Pritam, thanked the filmmakers, jury members, volunteers and others who contributed to the festival.
They expressed hope that the festival would continue to encourage young filmmakers to use cinema to highlight social issues, preserve cultural heritage and give a voice to underprivileged communities.
