The lights are about to dim and the screen will soon glow again at Jyoti Chitraban in Guwahati, where stories of heritage, resilience, and human spirit will come alive at the 9th Chalachitram National Film Festival (CNFF). The festival, now rescheduled to November 29 and 30, 2025, after being earlier slated for October 25 and 26, promises an unforgettable cinematic experience with nearly 40 acclaimed short features and documentaries drawn from over a hundred submissions received from across India and abroad.
Organised by Chalachitram, a subsidiary of Vishwa Samvad Kendra–Assam, the festival continues its mission to foster nationalism through cinema while paying homage to Bharat’s ancient civilisation, diverse culture, and timeless heritage. Since its modest beginnings as the Guwahati Film Festival in 2017, later rechristened in 2019 under the theme “Our Heritage, Our Pride,” CNFF has grown into a platform where filmmakers explore the emotional and cultural depths of India through the medium of film. The organisers, including committee secretary Bhagawat Pritam Dutta and VSK Assam secretary Kishor Shivam, said that while delegate registration will remain open till the festival begins, new film entries will no longer be accepted.
Each year, the festival’s collection of films reads like a mirror to the soul of society. This year’s selection reflects a compelling mix of human emotion, social reality, and cultural memory. Some films tenderly portray the struggles of young people grappling with psychological pressures and loneliness, only to rediscover hope and belonging through family and love. Others bring viewers closer to the world of differently-abled children, exposing the delicate balance of pain, patience, and perseverance that shapes their lives. A few stories turn the lens inward to reveal the cracks within families — misunderstandings, isolation, and loss of trust — before gently stitching them back together through empathy and forgiveness.
There are films that capture the quiet anguish of aging professionals in urban spaces, seeking solace in the familiar strains of folk songs and the warmth of community rituals. Others wander through the matriarchal traditions where men leave their families after marriage, or rediscover the surviving threads of ancient Assamese string puppetry and Bharat’s age-old textile artistry, both now challenged by the march of modernity. The tales of abandoned monuments, mythical spirits, and forgotten artisans unfold like living memories — each film an ode to the unseen worlds that continue to shape India’s cultural imagination.
The preview committee, comprising award-winning director Jhulan Krishna Mahanta, veteran filmmaker Bibhu Dutta, and accomplished cinematographer Hiten Thakuria, has curated this evocative lineup. A distinguished jury of artists, critics, and writers will judge the competing films, and the winners will be honoured with trophies, certificates, and cash prizes in the presence of film personalities and cine-goers.
In less than a decade, the Chalachitram National Film Festival has carved a distinct place among the country’s most respected cinematic gatherings, joining the ranks of the MAMI Mumbai Film Festival, Asia Livelihood Documentary Festival, Brahmaputra Valley Film Festival, Vibgyor Film Festival, and many others. Yet, what sets CNFF apart is its heart — its unwavering belief that cinema can be both a mirror to society and a bridge to its soul. As the festival readies to roll in Guwahati, it promises not just a weekend of films but a celebration of stories that speak to who we are, where we come from, and the legacies we continue to carry forward.
