Shillong, March 07: The curtain came down on the Indian Panorama Film Festival in Shillong today and the four-day event could only be described as a grand success.
Drawing film stars, directors, producers, students and enthusiasts together, Shillong can take pride in the way it has hosted the biggest film festival in the North East.
Throughout the course of the fest, the luminaries from Indian cinema have praised the natural beauty of Meghalaya as well as the many talents of its people.
Actor Ameesha Patel brought the festival to a close by echoing what many have said earlier about the beauty of the region.
“The North East is so beautiful, I really don’t know why we’re always going off to shoot in Switzerland or Italy,” Patel said. “The place is beautiful and the people are so very warm and welcoming.”
The IPPF was brought to the city by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, through the Directorate of Film Festivals and Department of Public Relations, Government of Meghalaya.
The team of organisers from Avenues was also singled out for praise for making the festival a hit.
Thousands of students and other members of the public from around the state and beyond attended the various workshops, film screenings and music events and played their part in the ultimate triumph of the event.
Hosting the event has broken new ground for Meghalaya, a state that is determined to put itself on the cinematic map of the country. New initiatives were spoken of by Meghalaya Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma when he addressed a special seminar on promoting the state as a filming destination on Tuesday. Dr Sangma also announced that the government will sponsor interns to gain experience with director Veena Bakshi and producer Ronnie Lahiri, who mooted the idea.
Raghvendra Singh, Join Secretary Ministry I&B, also said that the central government is committed to helping Meghalaya grow in its cinematic scope and make the film fest an annual event.
Three screenings and three workshops were held on the final day.
Hardik Mehta first gave the assembled audience at the State Convention Centre a run through his experience of Bollywood through a workshop entitled “Stepping into the Big Bad World of Bollywood”. A workshop on acting by director Mushtaq Kak and one on storytelling by the vivacious Ramesh Tekwani closed out proceedings at the Convention Centre.
The films on offer at U Soso Tham Auditorium were The Bong Connection, Khasi film Meshua & Melody, whose stars Merlvin Mukhim and Sweety Pala were present, and critically acclaimed documentary Gulabi Gang, which ended the sequence of screenings. Nishtha Jain, director of the final film, was also present to answer questions from the audience.
The festival was formally brought to a close in the presence of AL Hek, Minister IPR, with a throbbing music show with acts like Colours and Cubicles, among others, going on well into the evening.(SP News)
