Golden jubilee celebration of Manipuri Cinema ends
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, April 30 2022:
The yearlong golden jubilee celebration of Manipuri Cinema concluded on Friday with the valedictory function held at Palace auditorium of Manipur State Film Development Society (MSFDS).
Around 23 film pioneers comprising directors, producers, actors and singers and celebrities were also honoured for their out standing contribution on the occasion.
In his address, legendary filmmaker Aribam Syam Sharma recalled the contributions of demised pioneers of Manipuri Cinema and expressed best wishes for the holistic growth of Manipuri Cinema.
While contending that the film movement in Manipur started without any assistance from the government, he also cautioned that hostility within the small him community in Manipur will not yield any benefits and exhorted all concerned to work collectively towards upscaling the quality of firms produced in Manipur.
Further stating that no other state with a small population like Manipur has sustained films produced in its own language for 50 years, he also pointed out Manipuri films went downhill after films were produced on a mass scale in amateurish manner during the VHS era.
As such, professional training is required to avoid such mistakes in the future, he stressed.
Syam Sharma also lamented that the Manipur University of Culture, conceived to promote the rich Manipuri culture, is in a dormant state.
Noting that the annual budget for the art and culture department is only around Rs 4 crore, he questioned how such a limited amount will help Manipuri culture thrive.
Significantly, the yearlong celebration conclud ed with the screening of 'Brogendrogee Luhongba', the first feature film by a Manipuri film director, SN Chand.
The film was timely digitalised, saved and preserved by the SN Chand Cine Archive & Museum launched by CM Biren at the start of the Golden Jubilee Celebration of Manipuri Cinema.