Manipur producers urge for state film policy

IMPHAL, April 8: The All Manipur Film Producers Association today urged the Manipur government to formulate a state film policy soon in order to sustain and encourage the Manipuri films and artistes. The Association today held a meeting at Hotel Excellency at 1 pm wherein various problems faced by the producers in making a film were discussed. Messrs K Ibohal, N Nilamani and MA Singh were chief guest, president and guest of honour respectively at the meeting. The meeting felt that the government of Manipur ought to encourage Manipuri films by providing financial assistance to the film companies and artistes like it encourages other art forms such as dance, music and theatre. It also demanded that the Manipur Film Development Corporation (MFDC) pay certain amount of subsidy to the filmmakers as done in other states. The government should reduce the tax for the Manipuri films for being screened at the local cinema halls as done elsewhere in the country. The Association also demanded that the Manipur government should make immediate payment of the subsidy to the film producers who possess censor certificates so as to alleviate their financial predicaments. It's not right on the MFDC's part to harass a producer who has already got certificate for his film by showing it once again to the new jury members, the Association opined. While appointing members of the board of the MFDC, at least three or four producers should be included in the board so that they could find ways and means to help the producers. The Association also wants the authority to facilitate availability of the censor certificates in Imphal to avoid the troubles and inconveniences that the producers have to undergo while trying to get them from outside. The Association also decided to make a concerted effort to set up a film editing room here in Imphal soon to avoid huge expenditure and save time.