The Last Generation selected for Jharkhand festival

The Last Generation selected for Jharkhand festival

by | Aug 22, 2024 | Festival Circuit

The Last Generation, an Assamese documentary film, has been selected for the Jharkhand International Film Festival and Awards, which will be held in Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh.

Directed by Prabal Khaund and produced by Gopal Jalan and Dhruvajyoti Kakoti under the banner of Jalan Films, The Last Generation explores the traditional Yaping Hulo and Tipe practices of the Apatani community in Arunachal Pradesh, which are now on the verge of extinction. The documentary focuses on how only a few elderly women continue to adorn these practices today. Once they pass away, these traditions will be lost forever, forming the film’s core theme and hence the title, The Last Generation.

Director Prabak Khaund says- ‘As the director of this documentary project, my mission is to capture the essence of the endangered tradition of Yapping hullo and Tippe practised by the Apatani people of Arunachal Pradesh’s Ziro Valley. It is a race against time to preserve this fading cultural heritage before it becomes obscurity. Through storytelling and visual documentation, I aim to showcase the significance of these rituals and the profound impact their extinction would have on the Apatani community. The few remaining elderly women who still know Yapping Hullo and Tippe are the last threads connecting us to this ancient tradition. By immersing viewers in their stories and experiences, I hope to raise awareness about the importance of cultural preservation. This documentary is a tribute to the resilience and beauty of the Apatani culture.’

Notably, this festival, organised by the Arunachal Pradesh Tourism Department, will be held in September in Itanagar. The documentary has already been selected for various festivals, such as the Durgapur International Film Festival, Nawada International Film Festival, International Film Festival of Shimla, Pune Short Film Festival, and Kerala’s International Documentary and Short Film Festival.

Prabal Khaund and Meenakshi Deka wrote the screenplay for The Last Generation. The film was shot in and around Ziro, where the Apatani community resides.

Prabal Khaund is the vice president of Chalachitram.

‘Iron Girls’ Awarded at IFFS

‘Iron Girls’ Awarded at IFFS

by | Aug 19, 2024 | Festival Circuit

Assamese feature film “Iron Girl” received a Special Jury Mention in the National Feature Film category at the 10th International Film Festival of Shimla, which took place from August 16th to 18th. The film was written, directed, and produced by Rajen Das, who received the award from the governor of Himachal Pradesh with one of the film’s actors, Jasmin Das.

Rajen Das says, ‘I dedicate the film to all the Deodhani artists of Assam, as the film portrays the tradition of Deodhani dance. I made this film after in-depth research on the subject, which took three years.’

Five films from Assam were showcased at the festival, including “The Last Generation” (documentary) by Prabal Khaund, “Fagu Khele Karunamoi” (documentary) by Utpal Datta, “Pai Tang” (feature) by Prabal Khaund, “The Nellie Story” by Parthajit Baruah, and “Iron Girl.” Rajen Das, Parthajit Baruah, and Utpal Datta represented their films at the festival. The festival was inaugurated by actor Seema Biswas, who also participated in the award ceremony and conducted a master class on acting.

True story of the Tai Phake people

True story of the Tai Phake people

by | Jul 11, 2024 | Festival Circuit

Assamese film Pai Tang, meaning ‘Step of Hope’, has been selected for the 10th Shimla International Film Festival, which will be held from August 16. It is based on a true story of the endangered Tai Phake people who live in Assam.

Revealing the backstory, Prabal Khaund, the director, says, “Knowing very well that ethnic groups face the danger of going extinct along with their language, culture and heritage, I began researching on whether any such threatened ethnic entity existed in Assam, and discovered that one such ethnic group called Tai Phake had migrated as early as 1775 from the Hou Kong valley of Myanmar to Assam.

“As per the latest census, their population is only around two thousand. UNESCO has declared the status of their existence as threatened. The followers of Buddhism, the Tai Phake people brought along with around 400 manuscripts in 1775. These are preserved in their Monastery library. However, many in the young generation cannot read or write in their language, and do not even know the meaning of the texts of their 400 odd manuscripts.

“Pai Tang (this word, taken from their mother tongue, means ‘a step of hope’) depicts the real life of the Tai Phake people. The shooting location is their picturesque Namphake village of Naharkatiya, and many of the actors are from that ethnic group. I pray that this film will create sufficient awareness of the Tai Phake people and address their dilemma.”

Pai Tang had previously been screened at the Kolkata International Film Festival, the Bangalore International Film Festival, the Darbhanga International Film Festival, and the Northeast International Film Festival. It has been honoured with several prizes.

 

Director: Prabal Khaund
Screenplay: Prabal Khaund and Meenakshi Deka
Actors: Jnanapal Mahather, Hum Chen Winken, Nuk Chen Winken, Paim Thi Gohain
Cinematography: Papu Deka
Editor: Ramen Bora
Sound designer: Devjit Gayan
Music composer: Rajiv Kashyap
Singers: Ai Cha Thamaung and Je Hum Hailong
Producer: Nav Kumar Bhuyan
EP: Sangeeta Nath Bhuyan
Banner: Ans Entertainment