Govt should build a permanent GIFF venue: Adoor Gopalakrishnan

Praising the first edition of Guwahati International Film Festival (GIFF), Dadasaheb Phalke Award winning filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan today said the government should build a permanent festival venue for such events.

"You (organisers) can impress upon the government to have a festival complex, where seminars, discussions and meetings can take place along with film screening," Gopalakrishnan said.

Any auditorium cannot have film screening because the ambience has to be there with good sound system, he added during an open discussion on the ongoing festival.

The Padma Vibhushan award winner filmmaker expressed his immense satisfaction on the overall arrangement as well as response to the first Guwahati International Film Festival, which has invited him as the chief guest for the closing ceremony tomorrow.

"I believe the first GIFF has been very successful. It has an overwhelmed ambience. Lots of dedicated and motivated works are going on that cannot go waste. It is a very very good beginning," he said.

The legendary Malayalam filmmaker also lauded Assam government for its support in organising the first GIFF and hoped that it will continue in coming years as well.

"This festival gives a platform to entire North East, which has been neglected regarding film festivals. All filmmakers go to Goa or other places to watch world cinema. GIFF is a good opportunity for young filmmakers from the region. In 10 years, it can create a new genre of filmmakers in North East," he added.

Gopalakrishnan said it is also important to create cinema audience, who will be able to criticise or appreciate a film in a proper way.

"In the next level, the support should come from the press. Be it print, digital or television, each day of the festival should be reported. The buildup to the festival should start at least one month before. I am happy to know that many media students have enrolled in the GIFF," he added.

The National Award winning filmmaker lamented that film study has been neglected by almost all universities till recent times and only a few have started it.

In a note to the organisers of the first GIFF, Gopalakrishnan said on fifth or sixth day, a stock taking interaction should be arranged with the media and public to improve the mistakes in the next edition.

"Here I am seeing that happening. The organisers are very open. I am sure that this festival is going to do well. Hope that next year, more cinema will be screened," he added.

Gopalakrishnan advised the stakeholders of the GIFF not to compete with others as every festival has its own unique character and identity.

The six-day GIFF kick started on October 28 with 78 films from 32 countries across the world.

The state government-owned Jyoti Chitraban (Film Studio) Society is organising the festival in association with the Dr Bhupen Hazarika Regional Government Film and Television Institute.

Talking about the response, Festival Director Monita Borgohain said: "We were preparing delegate cards for 1,500 people initially. Today morning, I came to know that it has crossed 5,000 delegate registration."