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KOHIMA — Chief Secretary of Nagaland, J Alam on Friday revealed that the state government is keen on promoting the film industry and is coming up with a film policy for the first time.
The move would work wonders to the entertainment sector, he said during the inaugural function of the third Nagaland Film Festival at the Capital Convention in Kohima.
[bsa_pro_ad_space id=1]While maintaining that films play an important role in the lives of the people irrespective of age, Alam said the film industry also has huge employment opportunities for talented people.
Hard work is required to become a successful actor, he said, adding that many talented people are gaining fame “within no time” by making documentaries and films and sharing them on online platforms like YouTube.
“In such exciting times, huge opportunities await us in the field of filmmaking,” he said.
He acknowledged the Film Association of Nagaland (FAN) for taking a “vanguard role” in this regard, mentioning that the Department of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) was trying to facilitate it in the best possible way.
Nagaland has talented people, with some already having entered Bollywood, he said, adding that there is a “renewed interest in the Northeast”.
He said that the film industry, after the tourism sector, has a huge potential to provide employment to the people.
“When you produce a film, there are so many things at the back end and the front end where a lot of experts and others are involved,” Alam said.
While motion picture film is in its nascent stage in Nagaland, he reminded that ‘small beginnings lead to big results, affirming that we will continue to march on this path where a time will come when film actors in the state will grow and achieve great heights to make a mark at the national and international stages’.
He stated that the state looks forward to a fruitful partnership with the National Film Development Corporation of India in the days to come. He also urged the guests from other parts of the country to explore other parts of the state, saying that they might want to shooting their movies in some picturesque locations in the state.
Kivini Shohe, President of FAN, said that the film industry is new in the state and the association was formed to help become better professionals.
She expressed hope that filmmakers from Nagaland would produce good movies in the years to come.
Meanwhile, the winners of the “Online Film Competition 2021” were announced at the event. Cash prizes and citations were given away to the winners.
Tiakumzuk Pongener walked away with INR 25,000 after his film titled “Abnormal” was declared winner, while first runner-up Cinematixx received INR 15,000 for the film “The Dancing Philosopher”. “The Bright Side” by Kupe-ü Krome and “Forever and Always” by Rehti Thonger jointly shared the third prize (INR 10,000).
During the day, national award winning films “Angh”, “An Engineered Dream”, “Bethlehem” and “Look at the Sky” were also screened.
The three-day film festival, which will conclude on December 5, is organised by DIPR in association with the NDFC, Film Facilitation Office (FFO) and FAN.