RONO HILLS, 19 Mar: The 2nd edition of Borderland Narratives: Festival of Films from Contemporary Northeast is all set to begin at Rajiv Gandhi University (RGU) here on Thursday.
The three-day festival, organized by the RGU’s mass communication department and Arunachal Institute of Tribal Studies (AITS) in collaboration with the Centre for Cultural Research and Documentation and the Research Institute of World’s Ancient Traditions, Cultures, and Heritage, promises to be a dynamic celebration of cinematic and cultural richness of Northeast India.
The first edition of the festival was held in 2019, setting the stage for a platform dedicated to storytelling and cultural representation from the region. Building upon this foundation, the second edition aims to further highlight the diverse narratives of Northeast India.
The festival will showcase a curated selection of regional feature films by acclaimed filmmakers, including Dominic Sangma (Rapture), Raymond Colney (MI BO), Pradip Kurbah (IEWDUH), Haobam Paban Kumar (Joseph’s Son), Sanjib Das (Rosewala), and Napolean RZ Thanga (A Star is Born).
Additionally, the festival will feature thought-provoking documentaries by local filmmakers Gyamar Karmey (Into the Sacred Hills: A Peek into Nyishi Ancestral Hunting) and Akom Don Emma (Ihi-Hang), shedding light on the region’s unique traditions and heritage.
A key highlight of the festival will be the short film competition, titled “Our Lives, Our Stories,” under the theme Vanishing Roots: Art, Culture, and Folklore. The competition aims to encourage emerging filmmakers to explore and document the fading traditions and cultural expressions of the Northeast. The winning film will receive a cash prize of Rs. 50,000.
Aspiring filmmakers will also have the opportunity to participate in exclusive masterclasses, including “Rhythm of Souls,” a session on film editing by three-time National Award-winning filmmaker Sanjiv Monga, and “What’s Playing on Your Mind?”, a workshop on screenplay writing by renowned filmmaker Alka Singh, an associate professor at FTI, Itanagar.
There will also be a masterclass by Manipur State Film and Television Institute director Alexander Leo Pou on film finance themed “Crossing the maze: Funding for independent film” exploring strategies, resources, and insights for securing financing, navigating challenges, and successfully producing independent films in today’s industry.
The festival will also have an engaging panel discussion, “The Eight Rivers Coalition: Towards a Network and Synergy of Filmmakers of North East,” featuring distinguished panelists from the region’s film and media industry. This discussion aims to foster collaboration and strengthen the filmmaking ecosystem in Northeast India.
With a strong focus on the region’s cultural narratives and evolving cinematic landscape, the 2nd Borderland Narratives Film Festival at RGU is expected to provide a vital platform for creative exchange, fostering dialogue between emerging and established filmmakers while celebrating the rich storytelling traditions of Northeast India.