Manipuri filmmaker Romi Meitei’s directorial film Whispers of the Shadow (Nashon Pikna) has been officially selected for the Indian Cinema Now section of the prestigious 31st International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK), scheduled to be held in December this year.
The Kerala State Chalachitra Academy on Friday announced the official selection of films for various sections of the festival, with Romi Meitei’s film featuring among the seven films selected for the Indian Cinema Now section.
The other six films selected in the section are Hunter’s Moon, directed by Ridham Janve; Master Bantoo, directed by Arsh Jain; Urmi, directed by Deba Prasad Behera; An Evening Ballad, directed by Bishal Swargiary; The Ink Stained Hand and the Missing Thumb, directed by Yashasvi Juval; and Rehmat, directed by Gurvinder Singh.
Whispers of the Shadow (Nashon Pikna) revolves around a group of village children who discover a gun in the foothills, turning their friendship into a deadly encounter. The film is produced by Romi Meitei and Dr. Thangjam Dhabali Singh, a distinguished pathologist, entrepreneur and philanthropist from Manipur.
The film features Shushma, Pradnn, Adison, Tiernan, Manda Leima, Khaba, Soma, Roshan, Shanti, Bhumeshwar and others. Besides directing the film, Romi Meitei has also penned its story, screenplay and lyrics.
Romi Meitei is an independent filmmaker from Manipur whose works explore social, political and cultural realities through a deeply humanistic lens. His previous feature film, Ekhoigi Yum (Our Home), received widespread international acclaim, winning the FIPRESCI Award for Best International Film at the International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK), the NETPAC Award and several other honours, including National Film Awards.
Ekhoigi Yum was also screened at numerous prestigious film festivals across Asia, Europe and North America, earning recognition for its sensitive portrayal of community and belonging.
Following the recognition of Ekhoigi Yum, Romi Meitei has continued to develop films that engage with contemporary realities while remaining rooted in the lived experiences of the people of Manipur. His latest film, Nashon Pikna (Whispers of the Shadow), continues this commitment to telling stories that reflect the complexities of society.
The academy also announced selections for the International Competition and Malayalam Cinema Today sections. The International Competition features films from China, Brazil, Mexico, the Philippines, Iran, Uzbekistan-Kazakhstan, Uruguay and Bangladesh, alongside four Indian films: Padayaatra, Chevittorma, Selvi and Members of the Problematic Family.
The Malayalam Cinema Today section features 12 films, including works by Arun Verghese, Shruthi Sharanyam, Ajmal Hamsa, Dinjith Ayyathan and Don Palathara, among others.
The academy has also introduced a new Critics Discovery section to strengthen the international representation of Malayalam cinema. The initiative aims to introduce notable and artistically distinctive Malayalam films to prominent international film industry figures and critics, providing them with greater international audience exposure and representation at film festivals.
