The 3rd Guwahati International Film Festival (GIFF) began here on Thursday with a platter of 100 movies from 65 countries that is likely to attract over 5,000 domestic and foreign delegates during the next one week.
The inaugural ceremony was attended by Polish film director Krzysztof Zanussi and National Award winning filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar.
Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal inaugurated the seven-day-long extravaganza saying that the festival is aimed to integrate the world as a family.
"Assam has a rich cultural heritage and is full of natural beauty. The state is also full of talents," he said while welcoming a host of dignitaries here.
In presence of the National Award winning actor Adil Hussain, Sonowal said the Assamese actor has conquered the world with his acting prowess.
Sonowal invited filmmakers to shoot their films in Assam and assured all support from the state government.
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Zanussi highlighted the heights that cinema has achieved over the years.
"I have seen that cinema over the years has achieved something surprising. In many of it's manifestations, it has reached a level of art which is not only popular, but also belongs to higher shelf," he added.
Dwelling on the role of film festivals in promoting quality cinema, Zanussi said, "Film festivals promote high art rather than regular cinema. Festivals bring to local people global cinema which otherwise is not available to them."