7th Sangai Film Festival to begin tomorrow at MSFDS

The Manipur State Film Development Society (MSFDS) will host the 7th Sangai Film Festival from November 24 to 28 at the Palace Auditorium, offering five days of free screenings and interactive sessions for film enthusiasts. The festival is organised by MSFDS and sponsored by the Tourism Department with support from the Department of Art & Culture.
According to a press release from Sunzu Bachaspatimayum, Secretary of MSFDS, the festival aims to celebrate the journey of Manipuri cinema by showcasing both iconic classics and contemporary works. This year’s programme features Indian Panorama selections, including Oitharei by Dinesh Naorem, Andro Dreams by Dr. Meena Longjam, and the award-winning feature Oneness by Priyakanta Laishram.
A special highlight is Rediscovering Manipur, a retrospective of six digitally remastered Manipuri celluloid classics presented in collaboration with the National Film Archive of India (NFAI). The section opens with Aribam Syam Sharma’s Orchids of Manipur.
The festival also presents four internationally acclaimed documentaries—And Towards Happy Alleys, Dolls Do Not Die, Life is Beautiful, and A House Made of Splinters—curated in collaboration with DocEdge Kolkata and the Documentary Resource Initiative.
Ten short films by emerging filmmakers will be screened under the “New Voices” section, offering fresh perspectives and storytelling styles. The festival will also host an In-Conversation session titled From Idea to Screen: Financing & Finding Audience, featuring Nilotpal Majumdar, Ranajit Ray and Romi Meitei, moderated by filmmaker-journalist Bobo Khuraijam.
Q&A sessions with filmmakers will follow select screenings, giving audiences an opportunity to engage directly with creators.
The festival will open tomorrow at 10:30 AM. The detailed schedule is available at www.msfds.org.