Minister of State, Information & Public Relations,  Shri Lalruatkima today inaugurated the first edition of Mizoram International Documentary Film Festival (MIDFF) being held at I & PR Auditorium in Aizawl. The 3 day film festival, which kicked off today is being organised by Films Division, Government of India and Information & Public Relations Department.

Highlighting the importance of documentary films and the impact they have on society, Shri Lalruatkima said that documentary films have steadily gained importance in eliciting public opinion on a variety of issues that affect us and our societies. He further added that documentaries are powerful tools in educating the public about issues and events and it this regard they help mould the public perceptions of events and issues. He also remarked that cinema has transformed lives and helps connects cultures across the world.

The Minister remarked that the creative expression of young minds through film making can translate into employment avenues, livelihood generation, and promotion of tourism and add to the existing recreational facilities. In this regard he pointed that the nodal Department for film development - Information and Public Relations Department has been doing its best to promote film making and film makers.

Director, Films Division, Shri V. Packirisamy who was also present on the occasion highlighted the role and importance of Films Division in the promotion of documentary film making since its inception in 1948 and the changing roles of Films Division in recent times. He pointed that the region has a lot of talent and it is important for them to tell their stories in their own perspectives. The ongoing Yamagata Film Festival in Japan which has added North Eastern Cinema for the first time with 13 films being screened speaks about the talents of film makers from the North East, he said. 

Pi Lallianpuii, Director, Information & Public Relations who also addressed the function said the Festival is a special occasion for the Department, the film fraternity and the people of Mizoram as  it can help in the promotion and development of the documentary film-making in Mizoram and in imparting much needed training of varied special skills that go into the making of documentaries, especially through the two Master Classes scheduled tomorrow and the day after. There is immense talent among the youngsters of the state; all they need is support, guidance and avenues, she added.

She requested Shri V. Packirisamy, Director Film Divisions to translate the announcement by the then Director General, Films Division Shri Kundu in September 2014 during the Mumbai International Film Festival in Mizoram, who had that declared that Aizawl would be made one of the permanent venues of the biennial Mumbai International Film Festival in the North East and the Film Making Workshop would be held every year, into a reality.

The Festival will be screening 20 award winning documentaries. In addition, noted documentary film makers from the North East – Shri Gautam Bora from Assam and Shri Paban Haobam Kumar from Manipur will be holding Master Classes in the art of documentary film making.