Achoubi in Love, Bloody Phanek to be screened at Film Southasia
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, November 12 2019: Two documentary films from Manipur has been selected to screen at the 12th edition of the Film Southasia in Kathmandu, which will begin from November 14 .

Dr Meena Longjam's Achoubi in Love is slated to be screened on November 16 and Sonia Nepram's Bloody Phanek on November 17 .

According to the organisers, this edition recorded a submission of 2500 films out of which 63 from seven countries have been selected for the four-day fest, said a press release issued by Yelhoumee Pictures.

The screening will be held at the Yala Maya Kendra, which is spread over three halls in Patan, Lalitpur (located 20 minutes away from the Tribhuvan International Airport).

The celebration will begin at 10 am on November 14 with the specially curated students section while the fest will officially open with the screening of 'Indus Blues' at 5 pm the same day.

At Film Southasia, selected films are judged by a three-member Southasian jury and the best film is awarded the "Ram Bahadur Trophy" for Best Film along with a citation and a cash prize of 2000 USD.

The second best film is awarded a citation and cash prize of 1000 USD.

There is also a UNICEF Nepal Award for the film that best portrays social/children's issues, which comprises a cash prize of 1000 USD.

After each FSA fest, about a dozen films are selected to travel across the sub-continent and the world as part of the Travelling Film Southasia (TFSA) package.

This campaign aims to promote and popularise Southasian documentaries stops at more than 20 International venues between the parent FSA festivals that are held every two years in Kathmandu.

Since the beginning, this was a festival backed and organised by print journalists of the Himal Southasian magazine.

This time, the Southasia Trust has taken over the responsibility of organising the fest.Amongst the two films from Manipur, Dr Meena Longjam's Achoubi in Love tells the story of Achoubi and her love for the threatened Manipuri ponies.

Defying the odds of age, ill-health, financial challenges and strained familial relationships, she fights passionately to save these endangered beings from extinction.

Previously Dr Meena, who is also the proprietor of Airameen Media had won a National Award for the documentary Autodriver.

Meanwhile, Sonia Nepram's Bloody Phanek was first screened at a global premiere in South Korea.

Then it travelled to several countries including Greece, France, Serbia, Bangladesh as well as numerous domestic fests and special screenings in India.

Bloody Phanek blends personal and political themes while exploring how Manipuri women use Phanek as a medium of protest and how this attire can challenge masculinity.

Sonia also runs the Yelhoumee Pictures production house and has started working on her third film, it added.

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