By Debajit Gayan:
A group of young independent filmmakers, cine technicians and some veteran film personalities from Assam, North East India who are part of a group called ADDA, has taken up the cause of promoting alternative, new and creative cinema in the region.
ADDA is the first ever short film festival in the whole Northeast region. We promote new movie makers, exchange of knowledge, information, ideas, and culture between Northeast and all over India. ADDA laid emphasis on short films and we are lucky to have got a good response not only from the intelligentsia but also from common people. We need a creative approach, which is modern, young and fresh in outlook for filmmaking.
The main activity of ADDA is the Annual Short Film Festival. The ADDA Short Film Festival started in October 31, 2004. The 1st ADDA Short Film Festival was held in an open air on this day at near bye lane No. 1, Rajgargh Road, Guwahati-3. The idea behind this concept also has a history. Apart from the passion for cinema, other reasons which distinguish the ADDA people are sincerity, hardworking, seriousness and above all exposed to the world cinema to some extent. Although a few of them are already working in this trade but their passion for good cinema did not get fulfilled. So, it was decided that we do small scale production of short films for cutting down on budgets but then another problem aroused, i.e. exhibition.
After much discussion & debate, finally the decision has been taken that the films will be screened in the open air on the road itself. Although some people were cynical in this regard, ultimately the 1st Adda Short Film Festival was held on 31st Oct., 2004 which was a great success, in terms of quality and response of the great no. of audiences who really appreciated this unique approach. It has since been held every year in the evening in an open roadside ground for the next three years. Free sky, open sea of space, huge screen, enthusiastic crowds – ADDA has brought about a revolutionary change in the growth and evolution of Short Films and Animations in the Northeastern part of the country. In 2008, at the time of the 5th ADDA Short Film Festival, it has shifted its venue from open air to an auditorium with a hope to give the audience more comfort and luxury in viewing films. Since the very beginning, ADDA has also published a Souvenir related to this festival which is considered as a document of good practice of cinema in the North-East India. For the last eight enormously successful years, ADDA has found tremendous crowd support and filmmakers and critics participation besides inspiration from all concerned.
ADDA is always motivated to bring good cinema, its language and various pursuits closure to the common viewer. It is steadfastly motivated to push fresh new talents and aspiring film makers to newer heights. The starting point is to exhibit films that have a lot of depth and artistic integrity – films that viewers and audiences can identify with and in the process, create a congenial viewing climate. Viewers could derive that much pleasure absorbing and understanding the aesthetics and the rudimentaries of film making. The idea behind it all is to create a sound atmosphere where ideas could be exchanged and basic techniques can be imparted.