Manipuri Filmmaker Romi Meitei Bags Best Director’s Award At Kazan International Muslim Film Festival
Romi Meitei bagged the best director award for his film Eikhoigi Yum at Kazan International Muslim Film Festival held in Russia’s Kazan city.
Adding yet another feather in his cap, Manipur filmmaker Mayanglambam Romi Meitei has bagged the best director of full-length feature film award for his debut non-commercial film “Eikhoigi Yum” (our home) at the 19th Kazan International Muslim Film Festival held in Russia’s Kazan city, a Directorate of Information and Public Relations (DIPR), Manipur press release stated. In August this year, Meitei won the best feature film in Manipuri, in the language specified in the Schedule VIII of the (Indian) Constitution category, for the same flick at the 69th National Film Awards 2021.
A total of 127 feature films from across the world vied for various award categories during the five-day-long 19th Kazan International Muslim Film Festival that culminated on Saturday, the press release said.
Despite bagging the famed award, Meitei did not express his fullest elation, considering the unceasing ethnic clashes besieging Manipur. “I would have been happier winning this award had there been no conflict in Manipur. The ongoing ethnic clashes has rendered thousands homeless and in this situation the bagging award seems meaningless,” Meitei said while praying for restoration of peace and normalcy in the state.
Meitei said that some of the Russian audience, who are aware of the Manipur conflict, even said they would pray for normalcy to return to the state very soon.
Meitei’s 89-minute long film 'Eikhoigi Yum' revolves in and around Loktak, the biggest freshwater lake in the northeastern region of India. With the fishing community living in the vicinity of the lake facing eviction notices from the government, the film is a narrative on the impact of globalization on a small remote village which causes the residents to move away in an attempt to eke out a livelihood, the press release added.
Manipur Art and Culture and Information and Public Relations Commissioner, Mongjam Joy Singh, while expressing happiness over Meiteis’s feat, said “This glory is like a silver lining among the dark clouds hovering in the sky of Manipur. Meitei’s film “Eikhoigi Yum” has done exceptionally well in the festival circuit winning state awards, regional awards, and national and international awards. But the best director's award for the film is icing on the cake. I congratulate him and wish him to continue bringing glory to Manipur and Manipuri Cinema in his future endeavours.”
Echoing the same sentiment as Singh, Manipur State Film Development Society (MSFDS) Secretary Sunzu Bachaspatimayum said, “Despite the turmoil whirling in Manipur, Manipuri cinema continues to make its mark with Romi Meitei’s “Eikhoigi Yum.” Among other hordes of honours, Meitei’s film also won the best feature film award at the 14th Manipur International Film Festival held in state capital Imphal in 2022. A big congratulation to Romi and the entire film’s cast and crew. Meitei has done Manipur proud again winning the best director’s award.”
The Kazan International Muslim Film Festival has been held since 2005 in the capital city of the Republic of Tatarstan.
The motto of the film festival is to the dialogue of cultures through the culture of dialogue. The aim of the film festival is an exchange of experiences of the people engaged in the sphere of culture and arts of Russia and other countries.
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