Film festival starts with Polish movie on children

GUWAHATI: The European Union Sanskriti Festival, 2011, kicked off in Guwahati on Saturday with the screening of The Magic Tree, a children's film from Poland, in front of a capacity crowd at the district library auditorium. This was the first time that a bouquet of films from the European Union was being screened in the northeast.
Assam governor Janaki Ballabh Patnaik, who inaugurated the festival, said though the film festival's theme this year is youth and children, the movies from the European countries would be enjoyed by cine lovers from all age groups.He also thanked the Gauhati Cine Club for arranging the festival.
"A good film must fulfil the intellectual and spiritual needs of the person watching it. Stories of courage and adventure, kindness and charity, love and wisdom should find place in a good film", he added.
Speaking as the chief guest of the inaugural function, Poland's ambassador to India Piotr Klodkowski pointed out the rich cultural diversity of Europe and said that there were similarities in European and Indian Cultures.
"Through this cultural exchange Poland wants to strengthen its ties with India. Cinema will play a major role in bringing the two countries together," Klodkowski said.
Emminent filmmaker Jahnu Baruah called it a great opportunity for the children here in Guwahato to watch good European movies.