DIMAPUR, SEPTEMBER 20 (MExN): Naga filmmaker Theja Rio’s feature debut ‘ANGH’ has won the Platform Award at the 51st Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), marking a major international recognition for a film rooted in Nagaland’s Konyak culture.
The film received the award in TIFF’s competitive Platform section, along with a cash prize of CAD 20,000 (approximately USD 14,200).
TIFF CEO Cameron Bailey described ‘ANGH’ as “a magnificent film, something we have never seen before,” adding that it was “a really singular piece of work.”
‘ANGH’ had its world premiere at TIFF on September 15 as the only Indian film in the 12-film Platform competition. The 103-minute film is set in the early 1960s in a remote Konyak village near the Indo-Burma border.
It follows Anghba, the last chief of an abandoned village, who lives in isolation with his ailing wife and speech-impaired son. Their lives are disrupted by the arrival of an American missionary, bringing new religious and social influences into the community.
Directed by Kohima-based filmmaker Theja Rio, the film is rooted in Konyak culture and was shot on 16mm. The cast includes Douglas Henshall, Anghlong Konyak, Sobino Rengma, Genpai Konyak, Amah Konyak and Wangton Konyak.
The film is Rio’s feature directorial debut and expands on his 2021 short film of the same name, which received recognition at international film festivals including Palm Springs and Clermont-Ferrand.
