The Director, Cast and Crew of ANGH during the felicitation programme held in honour of Theja Rio, at the State Banquet Hall, CMRC Kohima on September 30.
Morung Express News
Kohima | September 30
Nagaland state today hosted a befitting Felicitation Programme for Director & Writer Theja Rio and the entire cast and crew of ANGH that recently had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) and was the only Indian entry selected for TIFF Platform Competition, qualifying it for consideration in the International Feature Film Category at the 2027 Academy Awards.
The programme was held at the State Banquet Hall, CMRC Kohima on September 30 during which a trailer of the film was also screened.
“I hope that ANGH will not simply be remembered as a film that won an award but I hope that it becomes part of a larger conversation around Cinema in Nagaland,” Theja Rio remarked during his speech. He exuded hope that it would create opportunities for the future generations, and ensure that ‘more stories from our land find their way to the rest of the world.’
Cinema, he underlined, “is not merely entertainment,” but it “is memory, identity, and a way of preserving who we are and sharing that people who may never walk our hills, speak our languages or understand our history, but every time a film from Nagaland travels abroad, it carries a piece of us with us.”
Reiterating that it carries our people, culture, humour, struggles, resilience, and dreams, he emphasised, “Stories allow us to introduce ourselves to the world, not through headlines, statistics or assumptions, but through our own voices.”
“If I have achieved anything, I hope it has shown that our voices matter, that our stories matter and that no matter how small a place we occupy on the world map, our stories can still travel across oceans and touch people,” he expressed.
Further impressing upon that it takes a whole village to make a film, he acknowledged every single member of the cast and crew, partners and supporters and everyone including families, friends, and loved ones who stepped in and contributed in different ways.
“What carried us forward was the generosity of the people and more than anything else they gave us their faith, their encouragement, and their prayers, and I want everyone here to know that this film would not exist without that love,” he articulated while also making special mention of the Konyak Community.
He further acknowledged the pioneering filmmakers who paved the way and built a path where none existed by taking risks and opened doors for the filmmakers today.
Dr Neiphiu Rio, Chief Minister of Nagaland termed the recognition of the film, ANGH as “a remarkable achievement for Indian cinema and a historic milestone for Nagaland and the Naga people.”
Also speaking from a personal space, the CM said he has had the privilege of watching his nephew's journey over the years who showed confidence, discipline and commitment to whatever he chose to pursue. Today, he expressed, “it has been deeply gratifying to see that commitment develop into a clear creative voice and further into international recognition.
Stating that the ANGH has created history and taken Naga cinema to a place it has never reached before, the CM commented that the achievement represents something much larger than us happening in Nagaland today.
“A new generation of Nagas is emerging- confident, creative, rooted in their identity and yet global in their outlook,” he said while stating that for many years, the story of Nagaland outside the state was often defined by narratives that did not fully represent who we are.
Today, however, he said, “our young people are changing that narrative themselves through cinema, music, sports, entrepreneurship, fashion, art, technology and innovation.” Stating that they are telling the world who we are, in our own voice and on our own terms, he also remarked, “this is the growing soft power of Nagaland.”
He also exuded hope that this historic achievement would inspire many more young Nagas to dream beyond boundaries and believe that no stage is too distant and no dream too big.
Highlights of the Felicitation Programme included prayer by Dr Mhalevilie Sote, Associate Pastor, Baptist Revival Church Kohima, short speeches by Konyak Union, Naga Students’ Federation, Eastern Naga Students’ Federation, and Kivini Shohe, Former President & Founding Member, Film Association of Nagaland, musical presentation by Task Force For Music & Arts, felicitation by Department of Art & Culture, Department of Tourism, Department of Youth Resources & Sports, and Angami Public Organisation and vote of thanks by Dzüvinuo Theünuo, Director, IPR while Orenthung Lotha IAS, Secretary IPR was the chairperson.
