The second North East India Film Festival (NEIFF) 2024, organized by THOUNA, Manipur in association with Film Forum Manipur & Directorate of Information & Public Relations, Government of Manipur and sponsored by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Government of India and National Film Development Corporation (NFDC), successfully concluded at the Library & Information Centre in Kakching with cultural performances and an award ceremony.
In addition to celebrating Manipur’s rich cultural and cinematic heritage, the festival brought together eminent academics, artistes, filmmakers and cultural icons to showcase the power of cinema as a vehicle for social change, education, and cultural preservation while sharing the numerous narratives of Northeast India on a prestigious platform. The five-day event featured 28 films, with eight feature films and two non-feature films chosen for competition.
‘Where Is My Home’, jointly directed by the late Bhaskar Jyoti Das and Samiran Deka, and produced by Samiran Deka under the banner of Ssdeka Media Entertainment Pvt Ltd, was the recipient of the Best Non-Feature Film award at the 2nd North East India Film Festival, showcasing Samiran’s rapid ascent in the indie movie scene. Apart from ‘Where is My Home’, his other film, ‘Teens of 42’, was also screened at the festival. Both of these films have received praise for their creative storytelling and engaging narratives at several film festivals. The critical recognition solidifies Samiran Deka and Ssdeka Media Entertainment’s standing as significant forces behind the changing film landscape of Northeast India.
‘Where is My Home’ draws attention to the ongoing hardships faced by India’s displaced indigenous population. For the indigenous Bru (Reang) community, the concept of ‘home’ has been a distant dream for more than two decades. The film focuses on the 23-year ordeal of the Bru refugees, who were uprooted from Mizoram after ethnic conflicts in 1997. The documentary chronicles their struggles, tenacity and unwavering optimism as they endure life in relief camps throughout Tripura, yearning for a home of their own.
The festival’s Best Feature Film award went to the Manipuri feature ‘Oitharei’, produced by Gibanlata Thokchom and directed by Dinesh Naorem. The award for Best Director was bagged by Dhiraj Kashyap for the Assamese film ‘Amateurs’, the Best Screenplay award was won by Binoranjan Oinam for ‘Langdai Ama’ (Manipuri), while Joy Mekola took home the Best Cinematography award for ‘Oitharei’, Tarun Wang received the Best Editing award for ‘Laangoi’ and Debojit Gayan bagged the Best Sound Design award for ‘Baghjan’. The Special Jury Award was bagged by actor Narmada for the film ‘Sunita’, which also received the Jury’s Special Mention. ‘The Legacy of 4 Generations’ received the Special Mention in the Non-Feature Film category. The winners received trophies and cash prizes in addition to citations.
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