The inaugural function of the biggest international film festival in India’s northeast held at the City Convention Centre on Thursday was marked by vibrant cultural performances re-emphasising the fact that Manipur is much beyond the unrest and violence which often overshadowed the land.
The doyen of Manipuri Cinema and acclaimed filmmaker Aribam Syam Sharma recounted the horrors of the Battle of Imphal between the Allied Forces and the Japanese in the Second World War.
The octogenarian filmmaker said that whenever we say Imphal, people of his generation are reminded of the bombings and the horror it brought to the people.
Imphal became prominent as the last battleground between Allied Forces and the Japanese forces. That difficult period where many people lost their near and dear ones comes to mind. But as we celebrate the EIIFF 2025 today, we envision another type of Imphal. Perhaps, we can hope that this festival will usher in peace in this very disturbed land, he said.He also pointed out how he couldn’t sleep the previous night, contemplating whether it is the right time for organising a film festival. There might be people who say it is not the right time. But this type of festival is very much necessary as this will give a chance to young filmmakers to grow in their fields.I am very happy that Manipur is hosting this festival and many delegates from outside Manipur are also taking part, he said.
Further shedding light on how this type of small international festival is very important, he said that in big festivals, we get lost whereas in small film festivals there is room for establishing connections and exchanging of ideas among the filmmaking community.
Information and Public Relations minister expressed his firm belief that films have the potential to bring positive changes as they have profound impact on the society, culture and the community.
He also said that it will be a boon for film lovers if timeless classic films can be restored and digitised, thereby focusing on the importance of film preservation.
Manipur Chief Secretary, who is also the Chairman of the festival organising committee, PK Singh assured to make all possible efforts from his side to ensure that the festival is being organised more grandly from the next edition onwards.
Festival Director and MSFDS Secretary Sunzu Bachaspatimayum said that at a time when there exists an apprehension about visiting Manipur, the festival organisers are overwhelmed by the solidarity shown by creative minds from across the country and beyond.
The solidarity reinforced the belief that cinema has the power to unite, to heal, and to inspire. This festival is a celebration of inclusivity and the shared love for the art of motion-picture storytelling, offering a space to reconcile, to dream, and to build a hopeful future together, he said.
Over the next three days, EIFF 2025 will provide selection of films—shorts, documentaries, and fiction—alongside industry engagements designed to elevate the cinematic landscape and nurture fresh talent.
EIFF introduced two Pitch Sessions where emerging talents will present their fiction and nonfiction projects to industry professionals, competing for funding opportunities amounting to Rs. 8 Lakhs. These pitches mark the culmination of rigorous project development mentorship labs, where eight nonfiction and five fiction projects have been nurtured by mentors who have urged filmmakers to discover and refine their unique cinematic languages.
At least 250 people have been killed and over a thousand people injured in the ethnic violence between the tribal Kuki-Zo and the non-tribal Meitei people since May 3, 2023. More than 60,000 people have been displaced from their homes and villages and now staying in relief camps in different districts for the past 20 months.
The ethnic violence between the non-tribals Meiteis and tribal Kuki-Zo broke out in the northeastern state on May 3, 2023, after a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organised in the hill districts to protest the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.
