'Andro Dreams' to inaugurate 54th IFFI
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, October 23 2023:
The International Film Festival of India (IFFI) announced selection of films for its Indian Panorama segment at the 54th edition.
The selected films including 25 feature and 20 non-feature films wifi be screened during the 54th IFFI from November 20 to 28, in Goa.
The feature film jury, composed of 12 distinguished members, included director, actor and producer Dr TS Nagabhara-na.
The non-feature film jury, consisting of six members, was headed by acclaimed documentary film director, Arvind Sinha.
Notably, Manipuri film director and producer, Bobby Wahengbam, was also part of the jury.
Among the non-feature films, the selection includes two Manipuri films, "Andro Dreams" directed by Longjam Meena Devi and "Last Meet" by Waribam Dorendra Singh.
Additionally, the section features two Assamese and one Mizo film from the northeastern region.
The distinguished choice of the non-feature film jury for the opening film of the Indian Panorama 2023 is "Andro Dreams", marking an exciting start to the non-feature section of IFFI, showcasing the diversity and talent of Indian cinema.
Meena Longjam's documentary 'Andro Dreams' portrays the journey of an all-girl football club from Andro, a remote area in Imphal East district in Manipur.
The film has been honoured with the 'Best Documentary' Award at the 8th edition of the Jagran Film Festival in Mumbai recently.
Meena described 'Andro Dreams' as the love story of Laibi, an elderly woman with a strong spirit, and her three-decade-old all-girls football club's struggle against economic hardships, a patriarchal system, and orthodoxy in Andro, an ancient village in northeast India.
'Andro Dreams' portrays the challenges faced by two courageous protagonists: Laibi, who, in her 60s, manages a football club known as Andro Mahila Mandal Association Football Club (AMMA-FC), and her most promising young football player, Nirmala.