Guwahati: ‘Fehujali-A New Dawn,’ a highly acclaimed short documentary produced and directed by the Assam Police will be showcased at the prestigious ‘Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF)’ on June 21 this year.
Produced by Assam Director General of Police (DGP) Gyanendra Pratap Singh, the award-winning documentary is written and directed by Inspector General of Police (IGP) of Assam’s Special Task Force (STF) Parthasarathi Mahanta, with English subtitles meticulously curated by Jovial Kalita, Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) of Assam Police, Pranabjyoti Goswami, said in a statement.
DGP Singh while emphasising the film’s crucial message said, “We have seen some young boys and girls joining camps of terrorist groups, falling for various gimmicks being peddled. We decided to bring to the public domain true-life stories of disillusionment amongst those who had fallen prey to such propaganda campaigns and joined terrorist organisations. They wanted to share their ordeal with other similarly placed youths to prevent them from making the same mistake that they had made. It is our effort to awaken our youths to reality.”
On the other hand, the director of the documentary, IGP Mahanta, who is also an acclaimed filmmaker, said that the film shows the plight and struggles of the youth of the state after they join the extremist groups, it said.
“The documentary ventures into the struggles of the marginalised youths within the state, ensnared by extremist factions employing coercive methods, including financial enticement, as recruitment tactics. The narrative unfolds the disillusionment faced by these individuals upon realising the futility of their purported mission to liberate Assam from India, recognising themselves as mere pawns manipulated by foreign interests exploiting misguided patriotism. Their journey back home is one marked by shattered dreams and newfound clarity,” IGP Mahanta said.
Through compelling cinematic storytelling, Fehujali serves as a clarion call to the disenchanted youth, urging them to avoid the allure of extremism and embrace a path of purpose and righteousness. The documentary has garnered widespread acclaim and admiration, with audiences expressing profound appreciation for its powerful narrative and impactful message, it added.
Notably, Fehujali has already made a significant mark by winning the ‘Best Short Documentary’ award at the ‘7th New Delhi Film Festival’ on March 28, 2024. It has previously bagged the ‘Best Short Documentary Award’ at the ‘Jaipur International Film Festival (JIFF 2024)’ in January this year, it said.
MIFF, South Asia’s oldest and largest film festival for short films, documentaries and animations, is renowned for its dedication to promoting the best in non-feature films. This year’s festival runs from June 15 to June 21, 2024. The screening of Fehujali at MIFF underscores its significance not just as a cinematic achievement but also as a powerful tool for awareness and change, it further said.