'Andro Dreams' opens Goa IFFI non-feature film section
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, November 22 2023: 'Andro Dreams', a Manipuri documentary film, had the honour of opening the Non-Feature Film Section of the Indian Panorama at the 54th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa on Wednesday.

The film, directed by national award-winning filmmaker Meena Longjam, sheds light on the story of Laibi Phanjoubam, a 60-year old woman running a handloom and weaving craft shop in the remote village of Andro in Imphal East district.

It may seem like an ordinary tale at first glance, but the story of the film is far from it.

Laibi, a trailblazer in her own right, leads an all-female football club, the Andro Mahila Mandal Association Football Club (AMMA-FC) .

The documentary captures the challenges and struggles faced by Laibi and her team, particularly focusing on Nirmala, their most promising young football player.

Director Meena Longjam was drawn to Laibi's inspiring story, as she overcame patriarchal norms, economic hardships, and the orthodoxy of her ancient village.

Despite being the fourth girl child in her family and ini tially disregarded, Laibi went on to become the first woman in her village to pass matriculation and later became a primary school teacher.

Additionally, she established handloom and weaving craft shops in her village.

Andro Dreams, a 63-minute cinematic chronicle, is led by a female trinity of director, producer and cast, showcasing the avant-garde spirit of the documentary.

Meena Longjam said that her accidental journey into directing is an effort to bring to light the lives of people in Manipur, who often remain obscured in mainstream media.

Laibi, the film's protagonist, shared her happiness on being part of this documentary, which presents her reality and struggles to the world.

During a media interaction organised by Press Information Bureau (PIB) at the 54th IFFI in Goa, Meena emphasised that making a documentary requires building a relationship with the subject over an extended period.

She sees her role as capturing the real life of Laibi and the girls of her football club as they fight against all odds.

Jani Viswanath, the executive producer of Andro Dreams, highlighted the motivation to fund such films, stating, "Women are silent pillars' of the society, and I want to bring as many to the forefront as possible and provide them the required opportunities.

I want to encourage, motivate, ahd support the incredible talent who has skills but lacks funding".

The Indian Panorama section of the 54th IFFI is going to showcase 25 feature films and 20 non-feature films, offering an excellent cinematic experience to film enthusiasts.

The section aims to promote Indian films and celebrate the rich cultural heritage of the country through cinematic art.

It is learnt that Laibi Phanjoubam's trail-blazing tale in a small newspaper article is what caught Meena Longjam's eye, which today has been brought on the silver screen as Andro Dreams.

Meena Longjam is a legend in the making as she became the first Manipuri woman to win a National Award for her other film "Auto Driver" earlier.

The Indian Panorama section at IFFI opened on Monday with the Malayalam film Aattam in the Feature section and Andro Dreams in the Non-Feature section.

The Indian Panorama was introduced in 1978 as part of the IFFI umbrella to promote Indian Films along with India's rich culture and heritage with the help of cinematic art.

Since its inception, the Indian Panorama has been completely devoted to showcasing the best Indian films of the year.

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