First-ever international film festival in Manipur starts on April 2

IMPHAL, March 31 (IANS): The first-ever international film festival, supported by the Union Information and Broadcasting ministry, will begin here on April 2, officials said on Wednesday.
Manipur Film Development Society (MSFDS) secretary Sunzu Bachaspatimayum said that in the 5-day long international film festival — ‘Eikhoigi Imphal International Film Festival’ — 11 feature films, 8 non-feature films and one short film would be screened.
Films including those from Iran, Germany, Korea, Philippines and Norway would be screened.
The official said that two Manipuri films — Romi Meitei’s ‘Eigi Yum’ and Haobam Pabankumar’s ‘Nine Hills One Valley’, acclaimed Khasi (Meghalaya) film, ‘Iewduh’, directed by Pradeep Kurbah and Assamese film, ‘Ishu’, directed by Utpal Borpujari will also be screened in the festival.
Bachaspatimayum said that the festival being organised jointly by MSFDS and Manipur State Film and Television Institute (MSFTI), with financial aid from the Directorate of Film Festivals (DFF) under the Union ministry of Information and Broadcasting, DFF package of films made by master filmmakers of India such as Satyajit Ray, Adoor Gopalakrishnan, G Aravindam, Girish Kasaravalli and Mrinal Sen will be a special attraction of the EIIFF-2022.
Director of the critically acclaimed documentary film, ‘All That Breathes’, Shaunak Sen will be present during the festival and share the experience of his cinematic journey. Besides, filmmakers like Rajdeep Paul, Sarmistha Maiti and Kaushik Hafizee will take part in the festival along with their films.
DFF deputy director Tanu Rai will also participate in the international film festival. The festival envisages to fill up the void of a veracious cinematic culture particularly in the state of Manipur, the MSFDS secretary said.
He said that in between the breaks of film screening, there will be musical performances by local artists.