Tripura govt to set up film institute in state: Minister

Agartala, Feb 23 (PTI) The Tripura government would establish a film institute in the state in collaboration with Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute, Kolkata, said State’s Information and Cultural Affairs Minister Sushanta Chowdhury on Wednesday.

The process to establish a film institute has gained pace as a budgetary provision of Rs 5.75 crore would be made this year, he said.

Chowdhury, who was speaking at the inaugural function of the second Bangladesh Film Festival here, said a team of the department would visit Kolkata to move forward the much awaited plan.

“We want a team of Satyajit Ray Film Institute also to visit the state in order to expedite the plan of having a film institute”, he said.

Chowdhury said film industry creates a lot of job opportunities for the professionals as well as young talents. “It is not the fact only actors and actresses make money. A film industry requires a lot of professionals – directors, singers, musicians, light and sound artistes, photographers, lyricists and script writers. Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb himself is interested in the project. We will make it possible at the earliest”, he said.

“We want expertise from all film institutes and also help from the Bangladesh side in this venture,” the minister said.

Chowdhury further said the state plans to organize the Bangladesh Film Festival in all the districts and sub-divisions of the state to cement the cultural bond between the people of both sides.

“We don’t want to confine the film festival in a room. It must be staged in an open sky and I hope this will be possible next time”, he said.