GUWAHATI, Aug 26 - The All Assam Cine Producers� Association (AACPA), a body of local cinema producers of the State, has submitted a memorandum to the State Minister for Cultural Affairs, Bismita Gogoi, urging her to find a solution to the problems plaguing Assamese cinema under the provisions of the existing Acts, rules and regulations.
Reasoning that no additional laws were required to overcome the crisis affecting the Assamese film industry, the AACPA said that the dispute between producers and exhibitors could be resolved with the help of the Competition Commission of India (CCI), the body formed under the Union Government to settle disputes among producers, distributors and exhibitors.
�The CCI will order what to do to get justice. Similarly, the Act of 1981 for cinema workers is sufficient for their welfare. We do not need to collect any extra money from the common people for the cinema workers,� the memorandum added.
Pointing out that a large sum invested by the Assam State Film Finance and Development Corporation in filmmaking was yet to be recovered, the AACPA said that no fund should be allocated to the corporation until the invested amount was recovered.
�The AACPA, therefore, requests the Cultural Affairs Minister to implement and enact the existing Acts, regulation and rules in Assam as the first step towards redressing the grievances of the film industry. The AACPA is also of the opinion that before encouraging the construction of new cinema halls, the Government should see whether the newly-constructed cinema halls would function as per the rules of the Eastern India Motion Picture Association (EIMPA) or not. If the new cinema halls go under the EIMPA, then it will not do anything for the market promotion of Assamese cinema; rather there will be more unfortunate days ahead for Assamese films,� the memorandum further stated.
The AACPA said that it wanted a holistic solution to the ills plaguing Assamese films, but that cannot be attained by shouting slogans alone.
