Spreading the fragrance of Northeast

It is a gripping story of a young lad, Gojen Keot, who stood up to the might of colonial powers in pre-independent India, only to have his hope for rule of law in independent India shattered by the bloody happenings thereafter.

 Twenty-two-year-old Gojen Keot’s struggle, his disappointment and pessimism with the system and renewal of hope, thanks to his granddaughter, is the subject of the critically acclaimed Assamese film Ajeyo which will be screened at ‘Fragrances from the North East’ – a three-day festival of Northeastern films in the City. This Jahnu Barua film won the 61st National Award for the Best Assamese film.

Organised by the Directorate of Film Festival, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the film festival will screen some of the award-winning films from Northeast. On August 22, popular singer Papon and his band The East India Company will open the festival with their gig. Thereafter, a Mizo film Khawnglung Run (The Raid of Khawnglung) will be screened. 

The festival will officially kick-start from the second day onwards as films will be screened throughout the day. The day will start with Yarwang, 95-minute film directed by Joseph Pulinthanath. It will be screened at 10am. It will be followed by Manipuri film Phijigee Mani, directed by O Gautam Singh at 12.30 pm. In the second half of the day, Sonam, a Monapa film, directed by Ahsan Muzid and at 6 pm, National-award winning film by Jahnu Barua, Ajeyo will be screened.
 Third day will begin with two short films - Going the Distance and Bamboo Shoots. The former is a 24 minutes film directed by Tiainla Jamir in Nagmese and Digibeta and the latter is a 10-minute film directed by Steven Ao. At 11 am Prashant Rasaily's Kathaa will be screened. The closing film of the day will be Ri- Homeland of Uncertainty, a Khasi film directed by Pradip Kurbah. The film will be repeated on the closing ceremony of the festival. 

Shankar Mohan, director, Directorate of Film Festivals says, “I invite all people of Delhi, particularly the young, to come and experience the three-day Northeast Film Festival. These fragrances from the NE are wafting into the Capital after many years.”Not just films but the festival will have added attraction too.

There will be special Northeast food stalls representing cuisines from all eight States of Northeast. There will be exhibition-cum-sales counters of the traditional handicrafts and artefacts from Northeast organiaed by the Ministry of Culture at main foyer of auditorium – I. Also, a painting exhibition organised by Lalit Kala Academy in the back foyer of auditorium one will be open on all four days.