New Delhi, February 02: Ronel Haobam's 22-minute documentary film Nongpok Thongakpasinggi Wari (The Story of Eastern Protectors) is among 54 films vying in the Indian competition section of the 10th Mumbai International Film Festival for documentary, short and animation films (MIFF) commencing from tomorrow at the National Centre for Performing Arts, Nariman Point, Mumbai.

The biennial festival organized by the Films Division, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Government of India, which will last upto February 9, will have 44 films in the international competition section and 54 films in the Indian competition section.

Chief producer and Head of the Films Division Kuldeep Sinha said, ''MIFF has been rated as the third largest documentary film festival in the world.

In all 534 entries have been received for the Indian section while 228 films from 37 countries were vying to be short-listed in the international competition section.

Made in Beta film format, Nongpok Thongakpasinggi Wari is based on a legendary female character and depicts the simple life of Khoibu people of the past woven around the annual festival called Hai-chingbawng and the pathetic consequences that follow.

The film has been scheduled for screening on February 8 in the festival.

The filmmaker Ronel Haobam said, "Khoibu tribe is one of the oldest communities of Manipur and in spite of the changing trends through the years this tribe is able to retain its ancient customary practices or traditions and some of their legends are very beautiful and heart warming.

The present population of this tribe is estimated around two thousand persons most of whom living in villages like Biyang, Haikot, Khangsim, Khoibu etc.

all coming under Machi sub�division of Chandel district".

Born in 1971 at Wangkhei Thangapat Mapal, Imphal, Ronel Haobam started the carrer as a television correspondent for the Asian News International (ANI), New Delhi in 1995.He produced and directed 10 documentaries and a short film for Doordarshan Kendra, Imphal, Programme Production Centre (North-East) and Electronic Multi-Media Research Centre, Manipur University.

The MIFF 2008 will also feature a special package of 33 films from North East India for the first time.

It includes 17 films from Assam, five from Manipur, two each from Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Tripura, Meghalaya and Nagaland and one from Sikkim.

Th Brajabidhu's 30-minute documentaryPadmashree Aribam Syam Sharma (Manipur) and Jahnu Barua's 54minute documentary � A river's story: the quest for Brahmaputra (Assam) will be the inaugural films of the Special Package Films from North East India and be screened on February 5 at 2.30 pm.

Other four films from Manipur are A Syam Sharma's 30minute documentary��Guru Laimayum Thambalngoubi Devi, Bobby Wahengbam's 15-minute short fiction film Joshephki Macha (Joseph's Son), Y Romabai Devi's 23 minute documentary Jagoida Kathoklabi Suryamukhi Devi (Dedicated dancer Suryamukhi Devi) and Haobam Paban Kumar's 19 minute short fiction film - Ngaihak Lambida (Along the Way). The Governor of Maharastra SM Krishna as chief guest will inaugurate the10th Mumbai International Film Festival � MIFF 2008 tomorrow at 5 pm at the Tata Theatre of NCPA, Mumbai.

Vilasrao Deshmukh, the Chief Minister of Maharasthra will be the guest of honour.

Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi, Union Minister for Information & Broadcasting will preside the inaugural function.

Comment