4 films on North-East to be screened in Woodpecker International Film Festival (WIFF), New Delhi
Date : November 09 - 12 2017

"Memories of a Forgotten War" by Utpal Borpujari and "Haanduk" by Jaicheng Jai Dohutiya among 4 films on North-East to be screened in Woodpecker International Film Festival (WIFF), New Delhi

o 76 short films and documentaries from India and 15other countries to be screened in the four day festival at Siri Fort Auditorium, New Delhi from Nov 09-12, 2017

Woodpecker International Film Festival (WIFF) is back with an enchanting lineup of films and documentaries for its 5th annual edition to be organised form November 09-12 at Siri Fort Auditorium, New Delhi. Globally acclaimed for its focus on highlighting social issue-based cinema, the four day festival will screen 76 films on 15 powerful thematic areas. Entry is free in the festival.

According to the Founder-Director of the festival Rao Narender Yadav, "This year the theme of the festival is "YOUR Stories, OUR Stories" and we will be screening films on issues that touches everyone's life. WIFF demonstrates the power of issue-based cinema to create change and influence public opinion. Every year we get a large number of entries from across the globe and the festival screens some of the most powerful films and documentaries on a variety of contemporary developmental issues. Our festival's vision is to showcase films that promote discussions, expand expectations, challenge attitudes and help in changing lives. We are constantly experimenting to promote issue-based cinema globally and explore the power of storytelling through films to create a better world."

Films on North East in the Festival

1. Memories of a Forgotten War
Dir: Utpal Borpujari
01:49:45
This feature-length documentary film, for the first-time ever, seeks to tell the tales of valour of those young soldiers, and of the local peoples who participated or witnessed the battles of World War II in Manipur and Nagaland, thus seeking to bring the stories of the region's role in the World War II to the mainstream. Filmed in Northeastern India, New Delhi, Britain and Japan, and treated like an oral history project, the film delves into personal memories of the veterans and of the locals to recreate some of the incidents, shunning the strategy-related details, thus giving it an emotional, humane touch.

A scene from 'Memories of a Forgotten War'

2. Chinese Whispers
Dir: Charu Shree Roy
00:21:33
Gaigongmei is a fifteen-year-old girl from the state of Manipur in North-east India. Her father has been recently transferred and she joins a new school in a city far from home. As she is introduced in class, the teacher finds it difficult to pronounce her name and Gaigongmei suggests everyone call her Gai. For the students, Gai is an object of interest. Instead of trying to get to know her, they indulge in stereotyping her on the basis of her looks, region and culture. Gai makes a new friend in Arun who tries to convince her that it's all in jest. However Gai, who has been facing this kind of stereotyping from a young age, is not convinced.

A scene from 'Chinese Whispers'

3. Jahbara
Dir: Rinaldi Kharbani
00:12:30
This is a story of how people of Umjong village preserve the unique tradition of ploughing since time of surviving till date. When time of ploughing comes, people of entire village work together. It is not just tradition, it also unite people as one family and make sure that no one is left behind and at the end of the year they can make a self-sufficient village and making sure that no one is dying because of poverty.

A scene from 'Jahbara'

4. Haanduk
Dir: Jaicheng Jai Dohutia
01:23:00
Heramoni, mother of untraced extremist Mukti, whose last rites she had performed receives intimation that his death cannot be confirmed by the outfit and doesn't know how to respond. While Biplob, who had left the outfit and is alone, unable to be part of the mainstream surrendered rebels, has his own problems of existence.

A scene from 'Haanduk'

About the Festival

Woodpecker International Films Festival (WIFF) is a globally acclaimed festival focusing on issue-based cinema. Launched in 2013, the festival is part of the 'Cinema for Change' initiative launched by CMSR foundation, a not-for-profit Trust, based in New Delhi. The festival is organized every year in New Delhi and showcases best of alternative cinema. The Festival Advisory Board is headed by veteran actor and theatre director Mr. Avijit Dutt. During the last four years, the festival has screened more than 600 films and documentaries, taking critical contemporary issues directly to more than 65000 audience in the country.

For more information, please contact:

Rao Narender Yadav, Festival Director
E: [email protected] / [email protected]
Woodpecker International Film Festival, K-86 - (Basement), Kalkaji, New Delhi -110019
www.woodpeckerfilmfestival.in