Amidst all the limitations and challenges, an Assam based regional film industry moved on over the first half of 2015. The northeast Indian State with 30 million population has witnessed the release of six regional language movies in that last six months and promised to showcase more films in the commercial halls.

Around 20 regional movies were produced and released last year, though most of those failed to succeed at the box office. However, few feature films, produced in the region by local directors, could earn laurels from national and international filmgoers and critics. First the good, a Bodo feature film ‘Dau Huduni Methai’ (Song of the Horned Owl), directed by acclaimed Assamese filmmaker Manju Borah this year has been selected for screening at the Montreal World Film Festival in Canada.

One of the more prestigious film festivals this o ne attracts the best movies by noted directors from different countries, Montreal fiesta  began on 27 August 2015. Ms Borah’s latest film ‘Dau Huduni Methai’, which narrates a legend of the Bodo people by  local casts,wase screened in the world cinema section of the festival. Mentionable is that Ms Borah’s debutant movie ‘Baibhab’ (A Scam in Verse) received wide appreciation from film lovers. The feature film, which was released in 1999, was awarded with jury’s certificate at 47th National Film Awards. The poetic movie was also adjudged as the best film at Asian section of 6th Dhaka International Film Festival in Bangladesh.

The second good news is that Assamese feature film ‘Kothanodi’ (The River of Fables) has been selected for a grant from Asian Cinema Fund, South Korea. The ACF grant now would help the Assamese movie to get completed and screened in the forthcoming Busan International Film Festival, one of Asia’s biggest fiestas.

Based on the literary creation penned by Rasaraj Laxminath Bezbarua, ‘Kothanodi’ is directed by Bhaskar Hazarika and it has casts including Seema Biswas, Adil Hussain, Zerifa Wahid, Kopil Bora, Urmila Mahanta, Asha Bordoloi among others.

The third important, if possibly not quite good enough, event was where the Assamese film fraternity demonstrated its concern for the regional film world. The film personalities of different segments assembled on the bank of Dighalipukhuri and showed their solidarity for the medium. Joined by the award winning Assamese film personalities like Jahnu Baruah, Munin Barua, Abdul Majid, Bishnu Kharghoria, Chetana Das with many others, the gathering was also graced by the Union minister Sarbananda Sonowal, who hails from eastern Assam.

It needs mention that Assam’s first feature film, ‘Joymoti’, which was a talkie and was released on 10 March 1935 in Kolkata. The creation of legendary Rupkonwar Jyoti Prasad Agarwala, ‘Joymoti’ is recognized as one of the pioneer Indian movies.

Important Assamese movies, released in commercial theatre halls this year till June include ‘Ahetook’ directed by Bani Das, ‘Aarohi’ by Arup Manna, ‘Anuradha’ by Rakesh Sharma, ‘Love in Bangkok’ by Ashim Baishya etc. More movies were released in the second half of the year including ‘Aparajita’ by Moon, ‘Avataran’ by Tarunabh Dutta, ‘Bokul’ by Reema Borah, ‘Morichika’ by Nipon Dholua, ‘Dhou’ by Lakhiinandan Pegu, ‘Gaane Ki Aane’ by Rajesh Jashpal and more.

The Assamese film-world lost some prominent personalities in this period including theatre actor-director Mahananda Sarma, radio-film artiste Indra Bania, actor-theatre director Rabin Neog, actor Lakhi Borthakur, directors Bidyut Chakravarty, Kanaklata Hazarika, Achyut Bhagawati.

It is most pleasing to film buffs in and supporting Assam to witness these developments, despite the otherwise turmoil.