MANGALDAI, Sept 28 - Mangaldai, which has the special distinction of producing commercially successful Assamese films like Aranya and Putala Ghar on a cooperation basis by a socio-cultural organisation, United Club, in the 1970s for the first time in the history of North East cinema, achieved another milestone by organising the first three-day open air Aaideo NE cinema festival, which ended on Sunday night at the historical Gandhi Maidan here.
The Darrang district committee of Aaideo Talkies organised the festival with a view to provide cinema lovers an opportunity to enjoy some quality feature films with North East India as the background, and which have already earned appreciation from cinema critics, both at the national and international levels, even before their commercial release.
The festival witnessed the screening of four feature films, The Head Hunter, Nadi Matho Boy, Duranir Nirola Poja and children�s film Khhobh. On the concluding day, the organisers conferred the Aaideo Lifetime Achievement Award on eminent playwright, actor, director and lyricist Hemanta Dutta in recognition of his immense contribution to the Assamese film industry. The award carries a gamosa, seleng sador, japi, sarai, citation and memento.
Young and prominent film directors, actors, producers, artistes including Hemanta Das, Jhulan Krishna Mahanta, Dhrubajyoti Bordoloi, Kangkan Kumar Deka, Mintu Barua, Mrigendra Konwar of the NSD, recipient of the State�s best child actor award Abhilash Borthakur, former national award winning actress and dancer Rupsikha Saloi, renowned Sattriya and Bihu dancer Bhanu Deka Saharia, singer and radio announcer Prajal Kumar Sharma, among others, were felicitated.
Besides film screening and felicitation, a mobile short movie contest and fashion show contest on traditional dress christened Miss Aaideo Jeuti was also organised.
In the short film contest, Moli � the Dirt, directed by Anuprash Das, was adjudged the winner. Pratibha Rekha Deka and Violina Deka emerged as the winner and the first runner-up respectively in the Miss Aaideo Jeuti contest.
The felicitation and award distribution function on the last evening was attended by the MLAs of Mangaldai and Sipajhar Assembly constituencies, Gurujyoti Das and Binanda Kumar Saikia respectively, as the invited guests.
On Friday, Ashok Kumar Barman, Deputy Commissioner, Darrang, inaugurated the festival in the presence of the office-bearers of the organising committee.
