The 8th Chalachitram National Film Festival (CNFF) 2024 concluded on October 27 at the Jyoti Chitraban premises in Guwahati’s Kahilipara, showcasing a celebration of cinematic artistry.
Jaswandha, directed by Shoneel Yallattikar, was awarded Best Film in the Rest of India category, while A Sylvan Saga by Jyoti Prasad Das took home the award for Best Film in the Northeast India category. Das also received the Best Director accolade, with Abhijit Nayak honored for Best Screenplay for Wrong Number, directed by Bijit Borgohain.
Best Cinematography awards were given to Angsuman Barua and Pradip Ch Sarma for Aadi Shakti Maa Kamakhya, and to Chida Bora and Saril Nandan Deka for Teens of 1942, directed by Samiran Deka. Bhaskar Jyoti Bhuyan received the Best Editing award for Birubala-The Crusader, directed by Dhiraj Kashyap, while a Jury’s Special Mention went to A Letter To My Home, directed by Devajani Halder.
Organized by Chalachitram, a subsidiary of Vishwa Samvad Kendra Assam, the two-day festival featured 50 documentary and short feature films across competition and screening categories. The annual event aimed at fostering nationalism through film and honoring India’s ancient civilization, culture, and heritage.
This year's festival revolved around the theme “Our Heritage, Our Pride,” addressing various issues including Land and People, Tourism, Arts and Handicrafts, Music, Cultural Festivals, and Social Awareness, among others.
The award ceremony attracted notable cine personalities and film enthusiasts, including Assam's beloved actress Mridula Barua, who lit the ceremonial lamp in front of a portrait of Bharat Mata. Renowned filmmakers such as Atul Gangowar, Santosh Pathare, Sanskar Desai, and others were also in attendance.
The festival kicked off with The Last Generation, directed by Prabal Khaund, as the inaugural film. Competing films included Prayojan by Krishna Das, The Butcher by Tashi Wangshu MJ, Journey with A Dance Form by Pranjal Pratim Chetia, Heaven On The Earth by Prasanta Kalita, Rising Sunbirds by Sudeshna Gupta, The Caretaker by Biswajit Das, and Missing Cuisine by Pranjal Pratim Chetia.
In the non-competition category, films such as Being Bald by Krishna Das, Garishali by Ashomi Sarma, Bichitra by Tuhin Kanya Bora, Destination by Dipak Kumar Roy, and Ekaki by Rupam Jyoti Malakar were screened. Additionally, outside the regional category, notable entries included My National Flag by Sweta Kumar Dash, Shashwatam by Monaksh N Kanirkar, Nimbu Mirchi by Atul Subhashrao Camble, Tiny World by Shashidhar Kote, Sundarban by Arindam Konar & Shyam Sundar Paul, Bhookh by Saaikat Bagbaan, Yes Sir by Mohit Singhal, Multi by Mrunal Mestri, The Waiting by Lalit Kr Jha & Sumit Kohli, Minus by Aritra Das, Uma by Abanti Sinha, The Village of Masks by Ritabrita Mitra, Promise by Ravikant Narayan, Rainbow Classroom by Madhurjya Alankaar, Bin Boy by Bauddhayan Nukherji, and The Last Talk by Ashish Thakur in the competition category.
The non-competition category comprised Gods of Clay - Matir Thakur by Amit Bhattacharjee, Reserve Women Right by Bijoy Kumar Dogra, Rah Me Unse by Harsh Panchalwar, Sagavaram by Dinesh Balasri, Dennis And His Kambala Buffaloes by Praveenk Shetty & Nitesh Anchan, Little Explorer by Sapru VV, Air Pollution by Umesh Y Gaurav, Black Hole by Pradyumna, I am not Down by Jyoti Madnani, Khera - The Lakshmi of Chilika by Sudeshna Gupta, Wimdermere Ki Ramleela by Siddharth Rawal, Status by Madhan R Karthick, Proof Of The Soul by Gulshan Singh, and Manvi by Indrani Ghosh for screening.
The festival was inaugurated by Cotton University Vice-Chancellor Ramesh Ch Deka, alongside national award-winning Assamese singer Tarali Sarma and other dignitaries. The event attracted a large number of young film enthusiasts, who engaged with the films and exchanged ideas on filmmaking techniques for two days, honoring the legacy of Assam’s pioneering filmmaker, Rupkonwar Jyotiprasad Agarwala.
Kishor Shivam, along with fellow organizers Pramod Kalita, Indrani Laskar, Amarjyoti Deka, and others, expressed hope that the festival would inspire budding filmmakers to use cinema as a tool for social empowerment and to celebrate the rich cultural heritage of Bharat.
