A five-day film appreciation course, conducted by the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), in collaboration with the Department of Information & Public Relations, Nagaland, culminated on 17th June 2022 at the Directorate of IPR, Kohima. The film appreciation course was the fourth training conducted by FTII in collaboration with IPR, the nodal department for films in Nagaland.
Speaking at the valedictory programme, Asst. Public Relations Officer and Course coordinator, Wepre Kronu said Nagaland is very fortunate to have a prestigious Institution like FTII conduct various training, free of cost, with very renowned resource persons. He also expressed satisfaction with the progress made by the participants.
Joint Director, IPR, Asangla Imsong thanked the participants the successful completion of the training. She said the trainees should consider themselves lucky for the opportunity to attend the training conducted by FTII. She extended her appreciation to FTII and the resource persons.
The resource persons for the course were National Award-winning filmmakers, Avinash Roy and Jasmine Kaur Roy. Avinash Roy, an alumnus of FTII, is a filmmaker and a visual artist, Roy's love for documenting reality also extends to street photography and he is the founder - curator of The Street Photography Hub on Instagram. Jasmine Kaur Roy, also an alumnus of FTII, is a two-time National Award winner. With a wide range of experience as an independent filmmaker, Jasmine has been on the juries of the International Film Festival of India as well as the National Film Awards. The two have collaborated under the banner, Wanderlust Films, and have produced and directed short films and documentaries for various national and international organizations like UNESCO, UNDP, UN Women South Asia, and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Their documentary film, Amoli, won the Best Investigative Film at the 66th National Films Award.
Through the film appreciation course, the participants were taught to understand both the content and form of cinema. It enabled them to demystify the language of films and study its evolution. The participants were also taught about the creative and technical aspects of films. Short films and clips were watched and relevant aspects were discussed. Sessions on film grammar, screenplay, scenes, cinematography, documentary filmmaking, editing, etc. were taken up during the course.
Sophy Lasuh, a participant, stated that Avinash Roy’s metaphor of the Russian Doll best sums up the film appreciation course, wherein a doll can be opened up to reveal smaller dolls. She added that it has helped her to understand the many layers a film has and this knowledge has opened up her mind to approach making films in the same way. Tiakumzuk, another participant, said that he was very blessed for the opportunity to learn and to be mentored by the best in the industry. He also stated that the workshop has provided him with the tools to dissect and study films and also to appreciate the beauty of cinema.
As part of the country-wide celebrations under Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, FTII has decided to advance the cause of film education by conducting online short courses, free of cost, for scheduled tribes participants residing in the State. It has now successfully conducted training in smartphone film making, screenplay writing, screen acting, and film appreciation course for the state of Nagaland.
Film and Television Institute of India, Pune is an autonomous educational institute under the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Government of India. Set up in 1960 and operational since 1961, as a premier institution engaged in imparting education in various skills associated with films and television, FTII today ranks among the top 10 film schools in the world.
(Wepre Kronu, APRO)
