The annual film conference of Roopkala Kendro that had been indefinitely deferred this year because of “funds crunch” would be held from March 14. Usually a seven-day affair, it has been curtailed to three days this year.

The information and culture department stirred into action after the chief minister visited the state-run institute a month ago and met students who were unhappy at the International Social Communication Cinema Conference, usually held in February, being pushed back. The venue remains Nandan though there was a proposal for a shift to the institute’s Sector V campus.

Award-winning Assamese film-maker Jahnu Barua and the wife of the late Bangladeshi director, Tareque Masud, will be the chief guests at the inauguration. Films by Barua and Masud will be screened.

The number of films at the 11th edition of the conference will be about 60, down from the 100-odd screened at each edition over the past few years.

The number of feature films has been reduced. The focus will be on social issues, said Sunrita Hazra, the director of Roopkala Kendro.

Like previous years, most of the student films will be sourced from FTII Pune and SRFTI. Students of Roopkala Kendro will also get to show their films.