Guwahati: Come 29 and 30 November 2025, the film buffs, cine critics and movie producer-directors of eastern India will have an unique opportunity to encounter film-works, dedicated to foster nationalism and paying homage to Bharat’s thousands years old civilization, culture and heritage, as the 9th edition of Chalachitram National Film Festival (CNFF) unfolds a package of around 30 selected short duration films. A number of entries passionately narrate the stories revolving around the human race, its struggle to keep their legacy alive in a sustained environment on Earth. Many of the accepted entries tell stories of young people who find it difficult to cope up with the constant changes in their psychological needs and finally isolate themselves from other family members and even nearby friends. After rediscovering the unconditional love and affection from nearest ones, they energize themselves to go ahead pursuing studies and future careers with the sense of responsibility and belongingness in the society in general.
The slow learners and differently-able children in some entries may expose a different world to the audience, many of whom have little idea about the painful and emotional moments surrounding those minors. The picked up films also revolve around the traditional love, now overshadowed by growing misunderstanding and no trust among the family members which finally triumph in the time of distress with a true sense of empathy and forgiveness shown by everyone. Loneliness of aged professionals living in urban localities and deserving help and supports from their well-wishers, some take solace on folk tales & songs adoring marriage and other rituals to overcome the anguish, eroding family values where almost everybody suffers in different phases of life, the caste-ridden society and its implications on under privileged individuals while accessing a dignified life and living overcoming the challenges with a determination to defy the prejudices also being featured in some listed entries.
The matriarchal society, where men traditionally leave their own family to adopt a new one after marriage thus putting those fathers in isolation, ancient practices of magic that amuse the young people and help them fantasize to achieve the impossible , the surviving traditional Assamese string puppetry, thousands of years of old textile industry across Bharat and their legacy facing the turmoil of modern technology and lifestyle adopted by most of the people, tales embracing the malevolent spirit once listened and consumed by everyone in the rural world, human bonds with land, tree and nature, a creator’s legacy on finer works revolving around life, culture and legacy, abandoned national prides in different parts of Bharat with sagas waiting to be redefined for the new generation should attract the film appreciators.
India today witnesses a number of intriguing national film festivals across the country of over 140 crores in different time slots. The CNFF has been pursuing the voyage for nearly a decade and joining the elite clubs comprising MAMI Mumbai Film Festival, Great Indian Film and Literature Festival, Asia Livelihood Documentary Festival, Alpavirama South Asian Short & Documentary Film-fest, Bangalore Queer Film-fest, Brahmaputra Valley Film-fest, Cinemela Film-fest, Flashpoint Human Rights Film-fest, Golden Jury Film-fest, Hyderabad Bengali Film-fest, Indogma Film-fest, Jagran Film-fest, Jeevika Film-fest, Kalakari Film-fest, Madhubani Film-fest, New Delhi Film-fest, National Science Film-fest, Cinefan Festival of Asian and Arab Cinema, Patna Film-fest, Rajasthan Film-fest, Tigerland India Film-fest, Verite Film-fest, Vibgyor Film-fest, etc.
With a moderate beginning in 2016 with conceptualizing a society named Chalachitram with the primary aim of bringing film-works closer to the common people and also engaging the creative pieces as the weapon to create awareness of Indian culture and heritage, the CNFF for documentaries and short features has arrived on its ninth year. The inaugural edition was organised as Guwahati Film Festival (GFF) in 2017 at Rabindra Bhawan, Textile Institute, and Cotton University’s mass communication department, but in 2019 the unique festival was renamed. Gracing the GFF-2017, the then Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal, opined ‘cinema reflects the philosophy of life, reality and expectations of society, and it plays an important role in transforming society’ recalling the contributions of pioneer filmmakers like Jyotiprasad Agarwalla, Bhupen Hazarika, Bhabendra Nath Saikia, Jahnu Baruah, Manju Bora, etc to the Assamese film world.
The GFF-2018, shifted to Jyoti Chitraban film studio premise in Kahilipara, was attended by noted writer Manmohan G Vaidya, award winning film director Santwana Bardoloi with others. Since its third edition (CNFF-2019), the distinctive film-fest continues to showcase creative works on celluloid (now digital outlets) at the premise dedicated to the auspicious memory of Assam’s pioneer film-maker Rupkonwar Jyotiprasad. Organised by Chalachitram, a subsidiary of Vishwa Samvad Kendra- Assam, under the mentorship of Bharatiya Chitra Sadhna, the film-fest with the central theme of ‘Our Heritage Our Pride’ invites distinguished film personalities from different parts of India to grace the occasions every year.
The distinctive festival encompasses various issues like Indian heritage, indigenous society, heroes of the freedom movement, epics & mythology, national integration & solidarity, arts & artisans, manuscripts & paintings, tradition and family values, cultural nationalism, women empowerment, environment, land & people, tourism, arts, handicrafts & textiles, wood carving, manuscript & manuscript paintings, painting & woodcarving, music and musicians, indigenous festivals, traditional sports, monuments & heritage sites, social reformers & pioneers, tea and oil industries, etc. A jury board consisting of artistes, critics, film-makers, writers and other professionals select the award winning films, where they are honoured with trophies, certificates, and cash prizes in the presence of distinguished film personalities and cine-goers.