Mr India selected for Kazakh film fest
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, January 30, 2011:
Adding another feather to his hat, State filmaker Haobam Paban Kumar�s National award winning film Mr India has been selected for the Asiada Film Festival, Kazakhstan beginning February 1 .
The 47-minute documentary film depicts the life and works of Khundrakpam Pradipkumar (41), who after trudging the difficult path of stigma and discrimination attached to people living with HIV/AIDS, bagged Mr Manipur title in 2007 and several laurels in the subsequent National competitions.
"I�m so happy with my film being selected for the prestigious festival.
I�m leaving with my film tomorrow for the festival," Paban, a resident of Uripok in the heart of Imphal , said on Sunday night.
Manipur is one of the six States of the country having high HIV/AIDS prevalence.
Health officials said the State has over 30,000 positive people.
Mr India also won the prestigious Swarna Kamal award in the 57th National film festival.
The primary target to make the film, Paban said, is to expose and encourage the never say die sprit of Pardipkumar.
Mr India had also been screened for the Kos International Health Film Festival Ippokratis, Greece last year.
An Alumni of Satyajit Ray Film & Television Institute Kolkata, Paban said he will do a feature film as his next venture.
"I have kept the story line of my next venture but a refreshing thought is needed to make it more forceful as it would be my new work," he said.
A film on the controversial Armed Forces (Special) Powers Act (AFSPA-1958) directed by Paban, was adjudged for the Swarna Kamal or the Golden Lotus for the best non-feature feature award in the 56th National film awards 2008.His other documentary films Kangla, and A Cry in the Dark also won various international awards including the Fipresci prize at the Mumbai International Film Festival (Miff) 2006. Paban�s diploma film Ngaihak Lambida was selected for the prestigious Indian Panorama IFFI 2007. It was also screened at the 21st Singapore International Film Festival 2007 and won the best short film award at the Cine ASA International film festival, Guwahati 2009.