Japan, which is an important strategic partner of India in East Asia, is also associated with all the ASEAN processes. India values its engagement with the Association for South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) for its connectivity with its northeastern region, trade and security and has a summit-level relationship with this 10-nation body. India is actively engaged in all the processes, which have the centrality of ASEAN, including ASEAN Region Forum (ARF), ADMM plus, East Asia Summit (EAS), Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM).

The 44th IFFI will showcase Japanese films in the country focus section that includes a combination of animation and fiction feature films. Among the animations, the highlights include ‘The Garden of Words’, ’Wolf Children’ and ‘Library War’. Among fiction features, ‘The Devil’s Path’, ‘Oshin’ and ‘Real’ will be screened.

With a view to reflect the soul of Asia, about nine films on ancient Asian traditions and philosophies, like Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism, Zen, Confucianism, will be screened at the event. Also, the event will feature an art exhibition on spirituality as a sidebar event.

India is seeking revival of the ancient seat of learning, Nalanda University as a modern university with traditional and secular ethos with the help and support of the ASEAN and EAS member countries. India is also encouraging the flow of foreign Buddhist pilgrims to places of interests in the country. The efforts of 44th IFFI will go a long way to promote this vision.

A package of 19 films from Northeast India to be screened at this mega event will display the cultural connect with the east and Southeast Asia. These films will explore the immense ethnic, traditional and cultural diversity in the eight northeastern states of the country.

The festival has a special session to promote tourism, the ‘Incredible India on Screen.’ Films featuring in this section will portray India’s diversity of heritage locations. The incredible India selection includes films that showcase India as an impeccable combination of tourism and cinema.

Also in the mega event there will be cultural and aesthetic elements like dance and music shows, exhibition of fabric, handicrafts and cuisine from this region. Dances like Lion dance and Rikham Pada dance of Arunachal Pradesh, Bihu dance of Assam, Leima Jagoi dance, Thang Ta dance and Dhol Cholom Dance of Manipur, Garo Wangala dance and Khasi war dance of Meghalaya, Cheraw dance of Mizoram, Naga dance, Chu Faat Lepcha dance, Denzong Nah na Bhutia dance, Lushya Bhutia dance, Singhi Chham Bhutia dance, Nepali Maruni dance, Nepali Chutkey Naach, Zo-Mal-Lok Lepcha dance and Yak Chham Bhutia dance of Sikkim and Lebang Bumani performance of Tripura are of special attraction.

The famous Kaziranga University at Jorhat in Assam is based on the roots of intellectual, cultural and spiritual development which goes back to centuries from the time of Mahapurusha Srimanta Shankardev (1449-1568) who laid the foundation of the first 65 satras (neo-Vaishnavite monasteries) at the largest riverine island in Asia, Majuli which is adjacent to Jorhat. Majuli is UNESCO’s World Heritage site. The capital of the Ahom kingdom was relocated at Jorhat in 1794.

The 44th IFFI focus on north-east India session will open with the Mizo film ‘Khwalung Run by Mapula Chawngthu on November 22 and close with the Assamese film ‘Aideu’ by Arup Manna. The event will also screen rare footage of the Assamese film Joymoti produced by noted playwright, songwriter, poet, writer and filmmaker Jyotiprasad Agarwalla in 1935.

While Assamese and Manipuri films have seen theatrical releases, cinema from other north-eastern states has not had a great platform to showcase their cinema. This year, some of the greatest international film makers and artists from north-east India are likely to participate in this mega event like Aribam Shyam Sharma (filmmaker), Jahnu Barua (filmmaker), Seema Biswas (actor), Adil Hussain (actor), Yeshe Dorjee Thongchi (writier), award winning film journalist, Petrica Mukhim. Actor Victor Banerjee who has connection with northeast India is one of the members of the jury.

The 44th IFFI event will be an excellent opportunity to market tourism on behalf of northeast India and also its handicrafts and cuisine through exhibits. Northeast India presents a panorama of nature’s beauty suitable for film, rural and adventure tourism and also aptly suitable for film shooting. The national parks at Kaziranga, Manas and Nameri are of special attraction.

Picturesque townships of Agartala, Aizawl, Imphal, Itanagar, Kohima and Gangtok, annual boat race at Dawki in Meghalaya, Dzukou valley on Manipur-Nagaland valley, Jatinga village in Dima Hasao district in Assam, floating national park, Keibul Lamjao in Manipur, beautifulflowers of Khonoma near Kohima, eastern most point of India at Kibithu in Arunachal Pradesh, Majuli riverine island in Assam, Mawlynnong in Meghalaya, Namdapha lake in Arunachal Pradesh, Tura township in Garo hills in Meghalaya, Tsongmo Lake in Sikkim, Ultapani forest range in Assam and Ziro, one of the oldest township of Apatani tribe in Arunachal Pradesh are some spots of tourist attraction.

The 44th IFFI will not stop at marketing Northeast India to east and Southeast Asia. There are other diplomacies of India’s soft power as well. The festival will be attended by Academy award-winning Hollywood actor Susan Sarandon and the critically acclaimed Iranian director, producer and screenwriter, Majid Majidi. Thus the 44th IFFI intends to bring both US and its adversary, Iran, at the same venue.

A Film on Frontier Gandhi will be screened at the event. Justin Chadwick’s film on South African anti-apartheid leader Nelson Mandela – Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom – will be the closing film of the festival. A boutique of contemporary films featuring vignettes of modern Greece will be screened. Polish filmmaker Agnieszka Holland alongwith luminaries from Indian cinema including Kamal Haasan, Rekha and legendary musician Asha Bhosle will participate.

Among the members of the jury are Prasanna Vithanag from Sri Lanka and the French-Afghan photographer, writer and filmmaker Atiq Rahimi. Sidiqi Baramak from Afghanistan, Fauzia Minallah from Pakistan and Hou Keming from China are among the members of the jury for the weeklong 18th International Children’s Film Festival India (ICFFI) scheduled at Hyderabad from November 14. (IPA Service)