The highly anticipated 8th edition of the Brahmaputra Valley Film Festival (BVFF) kicked off at Jyoti Chitraban in Guwahati, with the inaugural ceremony witnessing the presence of esteemed film personalities, cine lovers, and fans alike.
Founder and festival director, Tanushree Hazarika, shared that the festival, spanning the next three days, promises to captivate audiences with a diverse selection of feature films, documentaries, and short films. The festival will run till December 17.
Prominent figures from the film industry, including Leena Yadav, Ronnie Lahiri, Amrit Pritam, Bodhisatva Sharma, Aimee Baruah, and Ritisha Khaund, among others, graced the inaugural ceremony, setting the stage for an exhilarating cinematic experience.
The ceremony was followed by the World Premiere of the inaugural film ‘Kooki’ by director Pranab Deka. The Hindi language feature film, is about a 16-year-old girl who had to sail through an unforeseen tragedy. The star cast of the film includes: Ritisha Khaund, Rajesh Tailang, Dipannita Sharma, Atwal, Ritu Shivpuri, Devoleena Bhattacharjee, Bodhisattva Sharma, Kamal Lochan, Bibhuti Bhusan Hazarika, Preety Kkongana, Ranjeev Lal Barua.
Over the next three days, the Brahmaputra Valley Film Festival will witness the screening of 13 feature films, 3 documentaries, 12 short films and also will host a number of dialogue sessions attracting film lovers from across the region and beyond.
“This year’s BVFF is not just bigger but brimming with diverse stories and voices, spanning from Ladakh to Goa and Karnataka. It goes beyond geography, delving into unheard narratives—stories of women, indigenous communities, and Northeast India. BVFF is not just a film festival; it’s a deep exploration, creating a vibrant community through workshops, masterclasses, and discussions, fostering the next generation of cinematic talent,” said founder and festival director, Tanushree Hazarika.
“Festivals are the gateway and discoverers of voices pertinent to the times. It is because of film festivals like the Brahmaputra valley Film Festival that newer and pertinent stories and filmmakers rise, breaking norms and redefining the power of cinema. Film festivals like BVFF are more important and relevant than ever for the times that we live in,” said Filmmaker, Producer Leena Yadav.
“Here’s to the filmmakers who constantly push their boundaries in terms of stories they tell and the subjects they chose, and the audiences who embrace them, and the festivals like Brahmaputra Valley Film Festival that nurture the flames of independent cinema. BVFF is a colourful combination of diverse cultures, and a chorus of diverse languages. It has illuminated the path for filmmakers of the region to find expression and continues to do so, and long may they, the storytellers and the dreamers, walk this path together,” said Film Producer Ronnie Lahiri.
The second day features World Premier of Kenny Basumatary’s Assamese feature film ‘Jiya’ and World Premiere of Nyishi feature film ‘Sangi-gai’ by director Nyago Ete. Also, director Arvind Pratap’s ‘Mariam’ and Marathi feature film ‘Vaat’ by director Miransha Naik will be the highlights from the feature film section. The festival will also host dialogue sessions with film producer Ronnie Lahiri on Day 2. It will also be an exciting day for short-film lovers, as the festival will showcase multiple shorts for the audience.
Entrance to the festival is free, welcoming film enthusiasts from the region and beyond to partake in this cinematic celebration.
