A Documentary Film Festival was organized by Dibrugarh University in collaboration with the Indian Documentary Producers’ Association and the Film and Cultural Society of the Northeast on 27th and 28th April, 2015. The two day workshop was inaugurated by Professor Alak K Buragohain, the Vice-Chancellor, Dibrugarh University. Noted Filmmaker and Padma Bhushan Awardee Shri Jahnu Barua was the Guest of Honour.
Mr. Rahul Jain, Secretary, Film and Cultural Society of Northeast, extending a warm welcome to the audience explained the objectives of the Film and Cultural Society of Northeast for promotion of documentary film as a powerful tool in the teaching learning process. Professor Buragohain in his inaugural speech called upon the academic community to revisit documentary film as a media for communicating different subject matters against specific perspectives to provide wider and deeper insights to any subject. For this, one has to learn how to view and make a documentary film- he said.
Eminent Filmmaker Shri Jahnu Barua emphasized upon the use of documentary film as a powerful media in the teaching learning process. He said that infinite perspectives can be developed on a particular subject in providing new aspects on any subject matter through documentary filmmaking. He narrated how over the last few years he had been making constant efforts in creating awareness about documentary films in the context of the needs of the higher education. The following documentary films- Words from the Mist, directed by Jahnu Barua, Superman of Malegaon, directed by Faiza Khan, Split Estate by Debra Anderson, Green Fire by Steve Dunsky, Let them Eat Cake by Alexis Krasilovsky and DNA Dreams directed by Bregtje van der Haak were screened, followed by the interactive session during the two days workshop. Professor Nagen Saikia and Professor Karabi Deka Hazarika also attended the Documentary Film Festival.