2nd Eikhoigi Imphal International Film Festival

2nd Eikhoigi Imphal International Film Festival
Opening film	Ishanou by Aribam Syam Sharma
Closing film	Boong by Lakshmipriya Devi
Location	Imphal, Manipur, India
Founded	2022
Hosted by	Manipur State Film Development Society; Manipur State Film & Television Institute;
No. of films	53
Festival date	Opening: 6 February 2025 ; Closing: 9 February 2025
Website	eiiff.org

The 2nd Eikhoigi Imphal International Film Festival took place from 6 to 9 February, 2025 at Imphal, Manipur.^[1] The festival had screened 53 films from India and abroad, spread across four venues in Imphal (Manipur State Film Development Society, Chandrakriti Auditorium, Tanthapolis Cinema and Kumecs Cinema).^[2]^[3] The opening and closing ceremonies were held at City Convention Centre, Palace Compound.^[4]

Events

Source:^[5]^[6]

Master classes
- Prof. Shyamal Sengupta on 7th February 2025 (The Fundamentals of Direction)
- Sean McAllister on 7th February 2025 (Filming Intimate Documentary)
- Shiladitya Bora on 9th February 2025 (Marketing, Distribution and Monetisation of Independent Films)
- Umesh Vinayak Kulkarni on 9th February 2025 (Exploring Storytelling in Shorts)

Panel Discussions:
- Challenges Faced by Manipuri Cine Exhibitors on 6th February 2025

Panelists: Laishram Sanatomba, Haobijam Shantiprabha and Laimayum Surjakanta, moderated by Wahengbam Lalpal

Cinemagi Honglakliba Saklon Amadi Manipuri Cine Actors on 6th February 2025

Panelists: Amar Mayanglambam, Soma Laishram and Bala Hijam, moderated by Sonia Sorengsangbam

Stories From The Fringe on 7th February 2025

Panelists: Kivini Shohe, Pradip Kurbah and Borun Thokchom, moderated by Moji Riba

Manipuri Cinema Amadi Ari-Anougi Langdai on 9th February 2025

Panelists: Kangabam Tomba, R.K. Hemabati and Thongam Thoithoi, moderated by Kharibam Yaiphaba

Cine Talks
- Vikramjit Roy on 6th February 2025 (Harnessing Film Production to Boost State's Revenue)
- Sukamal Deb on 6th February 2025 (Ham Radio and Communication)
- Subimal Bhattacharjee on 7th February 2025 (Digital Transformation and Film Consumption)
- Jenica Kalra on 8th February 2025 (Japan-India Content Collaboration: Anime, IPs, and Beyond)

Eikhoigi Pitch
- Documentary Pitch on 8th February 2025
- Fiction Pitch on 8th February 2025

Cultural & Traditional Showcase
- Opening Ceremony on 6th February: Moibung, Phisarol, Tribal Dance, Rosy Heisnam, SAM PAA
- Eikhoigi Legacy on 7th February: Thang-Ta, Dhol Cholom, Thang Leiteng, Guru Rewben Mashangva, Lourembam Bedabati Devi, Sorri Senjam
- Eikhoigi Impulse on 8th February: Pumpkin Crew & Imphal Breakers, Featherheads, Ereimang
- Closing Ceremony on 9th February: Laihui Ensemble, Pung Cholom, Basanta Raas

Jury

International Competition: Fiction Jury

Susant Misra (Chairman of Jury): Film director
Ritu Sarin: Film director, producer and artist
Romi Meitei: Film director

International Competition: Non-Fiction Jury

Supriyo Sen (Chairman of Jury): Indian filmmaker
Tangella Madhavi: Documentary filmmaker
Oinam Doren: Documentary filmmaker

Eikhoigi Pitch: Fiction Jury

Nabin Subba: Nepalese film director
Fowzia Fathima: Indian cinematographer, producer, academic and director
Oken Amakcham: Indian actor, director and music composer

Eikhoigi Pitch: Non-Fiction Jury

Kivine Shohe: Indian filmmaker
Uma Vangal: Indian filmmaker
Sudharak Olwe: Indian documentary photographer

Official selections

The following films have been selected in different categories.^[7]^[8] All That Breathes and Yairipok Thambalnu made to the official selections and screening schedules were notified, but were not screened at the festival.^[9]

International Competition: Fiction

Highlighted title indicates award winner

Original title	English title	Director(s)	Production countrie(s)
Village Rockstars 2		Rima Das	India
Boong		Lakshmipriya Devi	India
မ	MA - Cry of Silence	The Maw Naing	Myanmar
Cu Li Không Bao Giờ Khóc	Cu Li Never Cries	Phạm Ngọc Lân	Vietnam, Singapore, France, Philippines, Norway
Ullozhukku	Undercurrent	Christo Tomy	India
Hangman		Vihaan	India
Nelum Kuluna	Tentigo	Ilango Ram	Sri Lanka
Айқай	Scream	Kenzhebek Shaikakov	Kazakhstan
Yakshanba	Sunday	Shokir Kholikov	Uzbekistan
Buelwa	An Offering	Charmi Chheda	Bhutan
गाउँ आएको बाटो	A Road to a Village	Nabin Subba	Nepal

International Competition: Non-Fiction

Highlighted title indicates award winner

Original title	English title	Director(s)	Production countrie(s)
ढोरपाटन	No Winter Holidays	Rajan Kathet & Sunir Pandey	Nepal, South Korea, Romania
Where We Used to Sleep		Matthäus Wörle	Germany
তৃতীয় ভুবন	Beyond Boundaries	Sankhajit Biswas & Biswajit Mitra	Australia, India
And, Towards Happy Alleys		Sreemoyee Singh	Iran
Andro Dreams		Meena Longjam	India
Agent of Happiness		Arun Bhattarai & Dorottya Zurbó	Bhutan, Hungary
Bhangaar	Obsolete	Sumira Roy	India
Against the Tide		Sarvnik Kaur	India, France
Turtle Walker		Taira Malaney	India, United States
Ukjent Landskap	A New Kind of Wilderness	Silje Evensmo Jacobsen	Norway

North-East Currents

Original title	English title	Director(s)	Production North East Indian State
Ka Chithi	The Letters	Simi Khongtiang	Meghalaya
Puinau Puidaa	Stepmother	Kachangthai Gonmei	Manipur
Tara: The Lost Star		Samten Bhutia	Sikkim
Bibo Binanao	My Three Sisters	Kenny Deori Basumatary	Assam
Indian Women Atlas		Sunil Dhankher	Manipur
Ade (On a Sunday)		Theja Rio	Nagaland
Karken		Nending Loder	Arunachal Pradesh
Chanchisoa	Expectation	Elvachisa Ch. Sangma & Dipankar Das	Meghalaya
An Unknown Summer		Bhaskar Jyoti Das	Assam
Delusional Decays		Tushar Nongthombam	Manipur
Aaini Onnai	Mother's Affection	Bishal Swargiary	Assam

World Lenses

Original title	English title	Director(s)	Production countrie(s)
Father's Footsteps		Mohamad W. Ali	Syria, India
Sunflowers Were the First Ones to Know...		Chidananda S. Naik	India
Putulnama	Dolls Don’t Die	Ranajit Ray	India
Čovjek koji nije mogao šutjeti	The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent	Nebojša Slijepčević	France, Croatia, Slovenia, Bulgaria

Remastered: The Light of Manipuri Cinema

Original title	English title	Director(s)	Genre
Ishanou	The Chosen One	Aribam Syam Sharma	Fiction
Sanakeithel	Golden Market	M.A. Singh	Fiction
Chatledo Eidi	Gone With A Heavy Heart	Makhonmani Mongsaba	Fiction

Eikhoigi Montage

Original title	English title	Director(s)	Genre
Swaha	In the Name of Fire	Abhilash Sharma	Fiction
Kherwal		Uttam Kamati	Fiction
Appuram	The Other Side	Indu Lakshmi	Fiction
Adim	Primitive	Amitabha Chaterji	Fiction
The Secrets of Radha		Subarna Thapa	Fiction
Manikbabur Megh	The Cloud and the Man	Abhinandan Banerjee	Fiction
In God We Trust		Uma Vangal	Non Fiction
Teere Bendho Na..	Unanchored..	Niranjan Kumar Kujur	Fiction
Path		Pradip Kurbah	Shorts

Manipur Matinée

Original title	English title	Director(s)	Genre
Oneness		Priyakanta Laishram	Fiction
Sunita		Ajit Yumnam	Fiction
Laangoi	Enclosure	Manoranjan Longjam	Fiction
Langdai Ama	The Juncture	Binoranjan Oinam	Fiction
Una Una	As It Sees	Irel Luwang	Fiction

Awards and Winners

Source:^[10]^[11]

Award	Film	Director(s)
Best Fiction: International Competition	MA - Cry of Silence	The Maw Naing
Best Non-Fiction: International Competition	Agent of Happiness	Arun Bhattarai & Dorottya Zurbó
FIPRESCI Award	Where We Used to Sleep	Matthäus Wörle
Special Jury Award	Yakshanba	Shokir Kholikov

Eikhoigi Pitch Awards

Award	Film	Director(s)
Best Pitch - Fiction	The Scent of the Ripening Field	Alexander Leo Pou
Best Pitch - Non-Fiction	Bedabati's Songs	Borun Thokchom
Most Promising Project - Fiction or Non-Fiction	The Scent of Mother	Pramoda Nandeibam
Emerging Talent - Non-Fiction	Eche Tombi - The Brewer of Andro	Andy Tourangbam & Thokchom Nelson
Emerging Talent - Fiction	Khei-Hea (Night & Day)	Ashok Veilou

References

^ "Imphal readies for 2nd Eikhoigi Film Festival from Feb 6; to host 57 films, cultural events". The Assam Tribune.
^ "2nd Eikhoigi Imphal International Film Festival 2025 Screening Schedule" (PDF). eiiff.org.
^ "Manipur set to host 2nd International Film Festival, showcasing 57 films across four venues". India Today NE.
^ Bikash Singh. "Amid unrest, Manipur hosts 2nd Eikhoigi Imphal International Film Festival". The Economic Times. Retrieved 10 February 2025.
^ "EIIFF Industry Engagement Events Schedule v1" (PDF). eiiff.org. Retrieved 15 February 2025.
^ Murtaza Ali Khan. "EIIFF 2025: Cinema Sparks Change in Manipur". www.transcontinentaltimes.com. Retrieved 25 February 2025.
^ "Film festival relief for conflict-scarred Manipur". The Hindu. Retrieved 10 February 2025.
^ "Manipur: Second Edition Of Imphal International Film Festival To Be Held In February". The Sentinel.
^ "2nd Eikhoigi Imphal International Film Festival 2025 Official Selection List" (PDF). eiiff.org.
^ "Film Fest concludes". The Sangai Express. Retrieved 11 February 2025.
^ "EIIFF Newsletter Day5 Winners v2" (PDF). eiiff.org. Retrieved 11 February 2025.

External links

Official website

[1] "Imphal readies for 2nd Eikhoigi Film Festival from Feb 6; to host 57 films, cultural events". The Assam Tribune.

[2] "2nd Eikhoigi Imphal International Film Festival 2025 Screening Schedule" (PDF). eiiff.org.

[3] "Manipur set to host 2nd International Film Festival, showcasing 57 films across four venues". India Today NE.

[4] Bikash Singh. "Amid unrest, Manipur hosts 2nd Eikhoigi Imphal International Film Festival". The Economic Times. Retrieved 10 February 2025.

[5] "EIIFF Industry Engagement Events Schedule v1" (PDF). eiiff.org. Retrieved 15 February 2025.

[6] Murtaza Ali Khan. "EIIFF 2025: Cinema Sparks Change in Manipur". www.transcontinentaltimes.com. Retrieved 25 February 2025.

[7] "Film festival relief for conflict-scarred Manipur". The Hindu. Retrieved 10 February 2025.

[8] "Manipur: Second Edition Of Imphal International Film Festival To Be Held In February". The Sentinel.

[9] "2nd Eikhoigi Imphal International Film Festival 2025 Official Selection List" (PDF). eiiff.org.

[10] "Film Fest concludes". The Sangai Express. Retrieved 11 February 2025.

[11] "EIIFF Newsletter Day5 Winners v2" (PDF). eiiff.org. Retrieved 11 February 2025.

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