Art – Manipur News

When Japan’s Shakuhaci meets pena

A 3-day workshop on Shakuhachi (Japanese musical instrument) conducted as part of the Manipur Japan Music Summit 2016 concluded today at the Laihui performance stage, Kakwa Laiphrakpam Leikai. The last day of the workshop witnessed Japanese artist Motonaga Hiromu perform the Shakuhachi accompanied by Mayenglambam Mangangsana on the pena. Other Manipuri artists accompanied them on […]

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2016/11/when-japans-shakuhaci-meets-pena/

Tikendrajit wins Guitarist award

IMPHAL, Sept 28 NNN: Tikendrajit Keisham from Keishamthong Bazar, Imphal has won the coveted Furtados Ultimate Guitarist 2013 (Judges Choice) award.
The prize is a Gibson Les Paul 60’s Guitar. He was adjudged as Judges Choice from amongst the top 15 finalists who hailed from different parts of the country. Tikendrajit Keisham, a student of first year Computer Science and Engineering at Manipur Institute of Technology Takyelpat,Imphal participated in the competition by submitting his live video of playing backing track provided by the Furtados for the competition in the video sharing channel Youtube. The backing tracks for his particular video was composed by Daniel Kenneth Rego who was one of the members of the jury of the contest. With hundreds of guitarists (including professionals) competing nationwide, 15 finalists were selected.
Furtados”, headquartered in Mumbai, India. Established in 1865, with a heritage of 145 years, Furtados has been deeply associated with the development of music culture in India – whether it be hosting the Trinity Guildhall examinations, importing the biggest and the best brands of musical instruments or providing a variety of gear to musicians across the country. In the past few years, it has taken pioneering steps in developing a modern and internationally comparable retail network across the country.
The Furtados Ultimate Guitarist Video Contest is a 3-month long Battle in search for the best guitarist in India. The Battle went through a series of public voting rounds and selection by prestigious judges.
The judges are Sahil Makhija (Demonic Resurrection) Daniel Kenneth Rego (Demonic Resurrection) Bryden lewis (Raghu Dixit Project) Reinhardt Dias.
Tikendrajit has been playing the guitar since childhood. He is influenced by his two elder brothers who are also are musicians and played together in the same band. He has performed at various local acts since 2002 and also at The Sangai Festival along with some local bands of Imphal.He is pursuing a Bachelors Degree Course in Computer Science and engineering Engineering at Manipur Institute of Technology,Takyelpat Imphal.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/tikendrajit-wins-guitarist-award/

Film Director to focus on Manipur

GUWAHATI, Sept 5 NNN : After having had recognised his works in England and the United States, the film maker of the Assam’s Mayong legendary magic is now focussing in Nagaland and Manipur and other parts of the North East region.
Utpal Borpujari informed today that he will make a film on Naga folk music and also a film on the battle fields in Manipur and Nagaland during World War II.
Presently, Borpujari is making a documentary film for the Rajya Sabha TV on a football coach who spent his money to teach football to poor village girls in Assam.
It can be noted here that the story of Mayong’s legendary magic will now travel to the United States.
Mayong, also known as the Land of Black Magic, is situated in Marigaon district of Assam.
“Mayong: Myth/Reality”, a documentary directed by Utpal Borpujari and produced by Jayanta Goswami under the banner of Darpan Cine Production, has been selected for screening at the Silent River Film Festival to be held in California (USA) in October.
Informing Newmai News Network over phone from New Delhi few days ago, Utpal Borpujari expressed his happiness and had said, “Definitely, it is an encouraging news that a film from the North East is travelling to the United States of America. With this, more and more stories of the North East India region and about its people can be told.”
The documentary, which makes a first-time effort to capture the story of Mayong in film, is among the 79 films chosen from all over the world for screening at the festival that will happen at Irvine in California from October 17 to 20.
The film, which has earlier been screened at the 6th International Documentary and Short Film Festival of Kerala, 5th CineASA Guwahati International Film Festival and the Indie8 Film Festival in Shillong, has already been archived by the Royal Anthropological Institute of Britain and Ireland, as reported earlier. It will also be screened at the Gandhinagar International Film Festival soon.
The other films from India that will be screened at the Silent River Film Festival are Vikramaditya Motwane’s Hindi feature film “Lootera”, Sourav Sarangi’s documentary “Char – The No Man’s Island”, and short films “Lapet” by Anshul Sinha and “Afterglow” by Kaushal Oza.
Incidentally, the DVD of “Mayong: Myth / Reality” will soon be released nationally by Junglee Home Video, the DVD label of Times Music.
“Mayong: Myth/Reality”, has also been archived by the Royal Anthropological Institute (RAI) of Great Britain and Ireland so that researchers and academicians associated with cultural ethnography studies can access the documentary.
The film, which was screened few months ago at the 5th CineASA Guwahati International Film Festival and the India International Centre, New Delhi, had also been selected for the Long Documentary (Non-Competitive) Section of the 6th International Documentary and Short Film Festival of Kerala (IDSFFK) held in Thiruvananthapuram in June and the Gandhinagar International Film Festival to be held in the Gujarat capital this month.
The RAI’s ethnographic film library, which the film will be a part of, is one of the world’s largest and most important such archives.
“All films included in the library are screened by the specialist Film Committee, guaranteeing a standard of excellence unparalleled elsewhere. Growing numbers of film company researchers and broadcasters now consult the RAI film materials,” according to the RAI’s description of the archive.The RAI is the world’s longest-established scholarly association dedicated to the furtherance of anthropology in its broadest and most inclusive sense. It seeks to combine a distinguished tradition of scholarship stretching back over more than 150 years with the active provision of services to contemporary anthropology and anthropologists.
The institute is strongly involved in promoting the public understanding of anthropology, and the contribution of anthropology to public affairs, and has a privileged link with the Anthropology Library of the British Museum.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/film-director-to-focus-on-manipur/

Film on Mary to be filmed in Manipur : Priyanka

Mail News Service
Imphal, July 16 : Leading Bollywood actress, singer and songwriter Priyanka Chopra left Imphal on Tuesday after visiting the residence of t MC Mary Kom at Langol Game Village in Imphal West.
The winner of the Miss World pageant of 2000 arrived in the state capital on Monday to share knowledge on the real life of London Olympic bronze medalist Mary Kom for a biopic on the Manipuri boxing icon. Shortly before she left Imphal, Priyanka met the Manipur media at Hotel Classic in Imphal. She said she thanks Mary Kom and her family who welcomed her warmly.
She said that most of the scenes of the film will be shot in tManipur and the shooting will be finished by next year.
The shooting of the film began in June. Prinka is essaying the role of Mary. This film produced by Sanjay Leela Bhansali is directed by Omung Kumar and the story is written by Seisaiwyn Qundras. Priyanka is the co-producer of the film.
Prinka accompanied by her crew including her body guard left Imphal at 12:45 pm in an Air India flight.
During her two-day visit to the state, Prinka also visited the Sports Authority of India (SAI) complex, Takyel here where Mary Kom started her career as a boxer more than ten years ago.
Priyanka said her visit to Manipur is to carry out research work.
Physical training has started she said. She however said the name of the film , script have not been finalised. Everything will be finalised after going back to Mumbai she said. The shooting of the film will be done in Manipur and some other parts of thecountry. Since authenticity is required major portions of the
film will be done in Manipur, Omkar said.
The main theme of the film will be Mary Kom and her life as she is the pride of the country, Priyanka said.
“Everything about Mary is fascinating and Manipur is beautiful and I am happy I will be coming to Manipur to shoot a film on Mary” Priyanka said. She said she feels proud to visit Manipur and other parts of north east. She said she knows that Hindi film is banned in Manipur by militants and she hoped that the film will be able to bridge the gap. She hopes a miracle occurs so that people in Manipur can watch a Hindi film based on Mary Kom. Omkar said full shooting schedule will start soon.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/film-on-mary-to-be-filmed-in-manipur-priyanka/

Reminiscence of my artist friend

By Jyaneswar Laishram
Imphal: Living next door for more than a decade as a friendly neighbour and brought up together playing cricket on the same old playgrounds around Bishenpur town in Manipur, I know Dilip Oinam more than what his normal friends do. He spent his boyhood in the town where his mother worked in a hospital and his father used to teach English in a school located in the nearby town of Nambol where both of them (his parents) were hailed from. Today, Dilip stays in New Delhi with his wife and the rest of the family are settled in Imphal.
I still remember him as a young boy who rather fond of art since his younger years. I often noticed a touch of ‘fine art’ in him when he developed interest in painting during his early teens. He started painting landscapes while all his other painter friends in the town were busy stroking their brushes on portraits of movie actors, patriots and other celebrities. His works captured a true essence of the natural scenes which he portrayed without a glitch.
When Dilip first came to Delhi in 2001 for further study at Delhi College of Art after a brief BFA at Indira Kala Sangeet Vishwa Vidyalaya in Kheragarh (Chattishgarh), he gave me a painting of a misty mountain in which he gracefully captured a panorama of semi-silhouetted Laimaton Hill hiding its top in a thick blanket of cotton cloud erupted on an evening in Bishenpur after a mid-summer shower. Laimaton Hill standing massive in the western horizon at a distance of around a couple of kilometers from our Kuthi Leikai colony enhances Bishenpur’s landscape to inspire the budding artists like Dilip for some nature aquarelles. Unfortunately I have lost the painting of Laimaton Hill. I don’t know whether it was stolen or misplaced by moving men when we shifted to a new house in Delhi in 2006. But the hunt is still on to trace the lost magnum opus!
Wherever he goes
Bishenpur, Imphal, Kheragarh, New Delhi… Dilip has been to places where the wind of his art follows. Overall themes and narratives in his works keep changing wherever he roams from one place to another. His romancing the hilly terrains of Bishenpur blew temporarily out of his easel when he stayed for one and a half years in Kheragarh. Subjects of his paintings during his short Kheragarh days eventually revolved around lonely railway tracks, village hovels, poor farmers he frequently encountered while strolling down the secluded hot and dry plain of rural north India. But he often mentioned about hidden charm which he caught and bought out of the heat and dust of the region.
A big turn in Dilip’s works took place when he started exhibiting at some leading art galleries around Delhi after his BFA at Delhi College of Art, New Delhi. His acrylics on canvas began to capture magical impressions revolving around unique characters and objects related to folklores and mythologies. His new angles pulled attentions of a horde of collectors rushing from different overseas countries like the USA, Australia, Egypt, France, South Korea, just to tick a few.
All leading art galleries and popular venues around Delhi are where Dilip’s works are often found on display. And the latest showcase will be at ‘Strokes From The East’— a three-day exhibition by The Kolor Box— unveiling on June 28 at Convention Foyer of India Habitat Centre, New Delhi.
Unique elements
Many critics say Dilip’s high dramas and vibrant strokes of acrylics on canvas effectively do justice to his themes and narratives. Earthy, bold reds and coppery browns lending shapes and forms to iconic figures, whether it could be a child or a woman solidly holding grounds, are the most common portrayals seen in most of Dilip’s works.
Another interesting point which many appreciators point out in Dilip’s works is the inhibition of a whole complex of meanings like multi-layered and painstaking treatments which further enhance the overall elements of drama in his acrylics on canvas. Such fuss is considerably the style which he creates so originally in most of his works.
If you want to catch him ‘live’, just drop in at Convention Foyer of India Habitat Centre, New Delhi where The Kolor Box will flaunt the artist’s newest stokes at Strokes From The East from June 28-30, 2013!

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/reminiscence-of-my-artist-friend/

Governor inaugurates festival of Indian dances

Mail News Service
Imphal, April 20 : Governor Gurbachan Jagat today inaugurated a Two-day Symposium & Festival on Indian Dances at JNMDA Auditorium .
He said India is a vast country with different dance forms. Sangeet Natak Akademi introduced the term “Classical Dance” to denote Natya Shastra based performing styles. Sangeet Natak Akademi has till now recognized 8 dance forms as classical namely, Bharatnatyam, Kathak, Kathakali, Kuchipudi, Manipuri, Mohiniyattam, Odissi and Sattriya. Bharatnatyam and Kuchipudi follow the Natya Shastra more rigorously while Kathak incorporates very few elements. This shows that there is large variation among the classical dances in its dependence on the Natya Shastra. In these classical dances, the importance of mudra needs no further elaboration. Besides, the 8 recognised forms there are a few which are also based on the Natya Shastra but yet to be recognized as classical dances. Beyond these there are innumerable numbers of dances which are called folk dances. Even Manipur has a number of folk dances, with each of the 33 recognised Scheduled Tribes having their own different dances, besides the Meiteis who have a number of dance forms like Lai Haraoba dance, etc.
He hoped that the symposium will look into the different aspects of the Indian dance forms and this evolution through time and come up with ideas to keep pace with the changing environment. Further, the Festival will bring out the best dance form of this sub-continent which I hope will enthrall the discerning audience of Manipur. Manipur as you are aware is rich in cultural heritage and the common people have the refinement to understand and appreciate higher art forms, especially the elements of Bhakti.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/governor-inaugurates-festival-of-indian-dances/

Missed Samonte bags the Best Short Film Award at IISFF 2013

Mail News Service
Imphal, April 1 : A six days of film screening at the Second Imphal International Short Film Festival 2013 concluded on March 28 last with a formal function. Mohen Naorem, festival founder and Director of Imphal International Short Film Festival announced the award at the closing day. MISSED SAMONTE, a short film from Philippines won the Best Short Film. North East Indian based filmmaker Lovita J R Morang’s documentary named VIRGIN RHODODENDRON BURNT ALIVE was declared the BEST DOCUMENTARY FILM while BEST DIRECTOR Award went to Grant Orchard from USA for his Academy Award Nominated short film A MORNING STROLL.
31 films were awarded in different categories while another 15 films are selected to represent Imphal Film festival in various International Film festivals this year.
In the concluding speech, Mohen Naorem announced the possibility of granting short films by Legend Studio and making every possible way to invite independent filmmakers from the country to come and make feature films, shorts and documentaries. He also informed the filmmakers to come again in the next edition where the participating filmmakers will be given the opportunity to make regional films like Manipuri, Assamese and other languages.
The festival was organised by Legend Studio Manipur and supported by Action for Social Advancement (ASA), Manipur and Film Forum Manipur organized the 2nd Imphal International Short Film Festival 2013 with the motto “Bigger picture in shorts” at the College of Agriculture (CAU), Iroisemba on 23rd March 2013 with the opening film CELLO, a Japanese short film was shown in a pack auditorium hall of College of Agriculture, CAU, Imphal.
In what is expected to boost filmmaking in northeast region, the Legend Studio in the Manipur has decided to support independent filmmakers in making films and documentaries.
Director of the Legend Studio, Mohen Naorem, the organiser of the Imphal International Short Film Festival said this Friday while announcing the awards for the Second Imphal International Short Film Festival (IISFF), which started at the Manipur capital on March 23.
“From next time on, we are going to give opportunity to the participating filmmakers of the festival to make regional films like Manipuri, Assamese and in other languages. We are also going to provide them with some grants for the purpose,” said Naorem while adding that the move is initiated to boost regional filmmaking in the northeast.
The festival which was opened on 23rd March screened short films including silent films and films of Korea, Spain, Bangladesh, Japan, Argentina, Iran, Russia, Georgia, Marathi, USA, UK, UAE, Australia and Philippines and in languages like Urdu, Kannada, Meeteilon, Bengali, Tamil, English, Malayalam,
Altogether 80 short films like The Hell (Korean), Kanaveegal (Tamil), Illusions (Tamil), Mazhayoooppam Mayunnathu (Malayalam), She (Spanish), Corner (English), Pizzasin (Bangladeshi), The Future (Australian), June (Bengali) and Eibu Eida Thiba (Meeteilon) were screened at the festival.
Other short films like Mr Bear (USA), The Truth Behind (Silent Film), Love at First Sight (UK), Luminaris (Argentine), Once Upon a Sultan (Urdu), Rangi (Kannada), The Eyes of Miracle (Iran), 1937 (Russia), April Chill (Georgian) and Missed Samonte (Filipino) are also being showcased.
A total of 200 entries were received out of which only 150 films were shortlisted. 80 films were selected to screen to the audience. The festival is a successful event after comparing the number of entries received this time. In the first edition of Imphal International Short Film festival, only 62 films were received, out of which 15 films are foreign films, 29 are regional and 18 are Hindi films. Last time also the organiser could not make arrangement to screen the 18 Hindi short films for general public due to ban on Hindi films by some outfits.
“We are worried the second edition of the festival will be a poor performance after the banned on Hindi films screening in our festival. However, this time also we received 24 Hindi films which is much higher than the last edition.” Mohen said.
Last time only 6 filmmakers attended the event, this time 15 filmmakers attended the event which is a good sign of success and few of them are returning filmmakers from the last edition.

Neicha Doungel to be honoured

IMPHAL, Mar 2 NNN : The people in Churachandpur will organise a huge function in honour of Ms. Neicha Doungel popularly known as Ncy Doungel on March 13 at Kholmun Playground, Churachandpur.
Ncy Doungel is a composer, lyricist and singer hails from Manipur south district Churachandpur. She was awarded the prestigious Mother Teresa Excellence Award at Sapphire Hall, Hotel Senator, Kolkata on February 24 in recognition of her works.
Ms Ncy Doungel’s Jaila-Ai Committee will organise the March 13 event in honour of the composer.
“Ai” is a Kuki traditional ritual performed when a person achieve a rare feat in his or her field of activities. Ms. Ncy Doungel has composed more than 550 songs till date and she deserves all the accolades for her unstinted contribution to Kuki music and literature and the “Ai” Ceremony will be performed to commemorate her rare and outstanding achievements.
Ms Ncy Doungel’s Jaila-Ai Committee member Seoboi Haokip said that Ms. Neicha Doungel popularly known as Ncy Doungel needs no introduction among the music lovers, the imprint she stamped in the hearts of many Lovers speaks it all. She was born in a small Village in Henglep Sub Division of Churachandpur district in the year 13th March 1963 to a poor parent Mr. (L) Lunkhohao Doungel & Mrs. Lamnem Doungel and began her early days of education in Mission Compound Churachandpur. “Music is a medicine to the mind”, even today her songs and music remains an oasis for the broken Hearts and the young and old lovers alike. Her early days romantic Life face a setback when the romance with her dream Lover ended which ignite her passions and love for Romantic Songs. Later she went on to compose many patriotic and country songs also. Bad times, Good times, happy times or any times, name it she has a song for every one for any occasion and for any mood
Born and brought up in a poor family, she had to face many colossal obstacles to pursue her passion. If there is one thing which keeps her away from succumbing to hardships she faced, it is her determination and her love and passion for music. She released her first Album “Vankhopi” in the year 1988 and since then there was no looking back. She went on to create records after records and today she has become the most successful Composer and Singer not only among the Kukis but also in the entire Manipur.
“At times when Kuki Songs and music were in its nascent stage and as good as non-existence, she defy all odds and thus laid the foundation stone for its emergence and progress. She became a precedence and role model for many fledgling artist and lyricist and most popular artist,” Seiboi Haokip added.
Despite all her achievements and the milestone she created, her prowess remains unsung neither at the state Level nor at the national level. It is disheartening that because of her tribal background and the language she used in her songs which is not developed; her talent will remain unacknowledged despite the fact that she is no less than any of those who have won Awards at the state and national level. Pi Ncy Doungel has contributed to the nation by preserving and glorifying tribal Music and literatures through her songs and music and thus has become a treasure not only for the Kuki community but the entire nation in general and the tribal community in particular, Seiboi Haokip further stated.
The Zaila Ai Committee strives to project her exemplary feat to the highest level so that her talent and contribution gets its fair deal. It is with these objectives in mind inter alia, that the Zaila-Ai committee will organised the ceremony on March 13 at Kholmun Playground, CCpur at 5 pm onward and will continue to endorse till she gets her deserved place. On this day hordes of dignitaries, Politicians, social activist, music enthusiast, will attend the occasion popular rock bands like David Kakap, Rock Guitarist & Party, G-Theory Band, The Mystic band and popular modern Kuki singers will perform to salute this living legendary. There will be also an interaction session with Pi Ncy Doungel where everyone will get the opportunity to share and communicate with her. The Zaila-Ai committee will leave no stone unturned to make the occasion grand and fruitful, Seiboi Haokip stated.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/neicha-doungel-to-be-honoured/

Festival of tribal marriages

Mail News Service
Imphal, Mar 1 : When the dream turns into a reality one gets ecstatic pleasure. But the pleasure of this kind occurs rarely. It happened, on February 25 at Rup Mahal Theatre on the concluding day of Nimita Devi Nritya Ashram Sagolband Vijaygobinda’s festival of tribal marriages and their accompanying dance and music of Manipur, the spectators were enthralled by the show on the stage.
The programme organised under the aegis of Ministry of Culture Government of India CFG Department and presented on stage was appreciable. The main speaker of the function, who was director of the project, Hidangmayum Achouba Sharma said, the aim and object of the project are to preserve the dying traditional culture of the tribal and also to nurture emotional integrity of all the indigenous people of the state by reviving cultures of the people. He mentioned about the problems faced in establishing contact with tribal elders, who know too much about tribal culture, living in remote and far off places of the state.
Chief guest of the function Secretary Manipur State kala Akademi S. Vedeshwor Sharma was of the view that more such project that depicts tribal marriage and accompanying music needs to be preserved in digital format for viewing by future generation. Such research project will incur huge expenditure if it is done by Government. Therefore kudos goes to Nimita Devi Nritya Ashram for conducting the research with least expenditure. This shows where there is a will there is way. He also said, as Manipur Government is going to have a separate language directorate all these cultural traditions of tribal should be preserved in written form of all tribal major dialects.
In his presidential speech Padmashree S. Thanil expressed unhappiness that a new cultural trend sweeping across the world has buffeted traditional culture of the minority community. A good attempt is made by the ashram to preserve in digital format the cultural traditions of the tribal communities, he said.
The crowd fixed their eyes on the stage when the tribal presented dances and songs sung during the marriage ceremony. It gave a new taste to the spectators when the artistes presented their sequences one after another. The tribal dances presented were different from what we are seeing these days.
Secretary of the ashram, who also spoke on the occasion said unless there is help from the Government no such research can be conducted. But if we stop conducting research a time will come when we will not be able to trace the originality of many communities. Hence the importance of protecting cultural identity of all communities, he added.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/festival-of-tribal-marriages/

Ashalata Gi Hakchang, a play depicting contemporary Manipur

N. Amarjeet
Ashalata Gi Hikchang (Ashalata’ body) a play of Banian Repertory theatre, Imphal directed by MC Thoiba and written by M.C. Arun was shown at NT theatre as part of a theatre festival on Feb 15 last.
A short function was held prior to the play with IS Kangjam as Chief Guest. He commended the organizers for making the festival an annual event. Presiding over the function, Buddha Chingtham said the MC Thoiba, MC Arun combo is well matched for both persons echo similar ideology and thinking. He described the Banian Repertory as one of the most vibrant theatre group which has successfully produced plays regularly.
The play revolves around present day Manipur and often repeated clashes over dead bodies. The abnormal spiritual and political journey of a human body whose soul has untimely left it due to clashes between established state and non state forces is the main theme of the play.
The life of the play is the artistry of the debate between the conflicting or opposing parties . Well supported by amazing sound and visual works thought provoking, soul searching queries flung around like sharp arrows from beginning till end of the play. As the play progressed present day Manipur embroiled in a political clash was showcased in the most exalted platform of theatrical works. The words coming out from the actors of the play were words coined by urgency , war and conflict. Shrimad Bhagavad Gita is different from other spiritual works as it emerged out of urgency and it did not find roots in the caves or deep jungle.
Absence of microphones sometimes snatches away the heat of the debate in such play yet the actors matched up the expectations of the political challenge, people’s expectations by their awe inspiring performances. When the stage was full it was a theatrical journey beyond comparison as each actor was embodiment of perfection. When a solitary actor performed it was another moment of joy. The play shows that every phase of life throws up different challenges and we humans keep faith in different ideologies and main emphasis is given in the second half of the 20th century when Manipur entered a different political map.
Amidst the killings, there is also a rage to strive for peace, each opposing parties believe in different approaches to attain the ultimate goal that is peace. The ever eluding peace for now remains tethered unseen, unexplained. The politically tyranny that has disturbed both the living and non living world can not be better explained or shown. Suffering of those who have died, we do not know but the play shows the ordeals of their near ones. Ashalata’s Body is a masterpiece both literally and artistically. Banian Repertory has many plays to its credit and many are highly acclaimed. What makes this play of the theatre house outstanding is the affinity of the play with the common people. It stands out as a lone voice of the people trapped in the never ending conflict.

Kut festival

AIZAWL, Feb 11 NNN: As of every year, the popular festival in Mizoram, “Chapchar Kut” will be celebrated here again with grand fervor.
Chapchar Kut is celebrated by the Mizos with pomp and show after the clearance of forest for the jhumming.
Preparation for the celebration of the festival is in full swing in different parts of Mizoram.
The celebration of Chapchar Kut 2013 in the state capital, Aizawl will be held at AR Ground, where Mizoram Governor Vakkom Purusothaman will be the chief guest. Art & Culture Minister P.C. Zoram Sangliana will be the ‘KUT PA’, which means, ‘Father of the Festival’.
A meeting in finalizing the programme for Chapchar Kut 2013 was convened today under the leadership of Art & Culture Minister P.C. Zoram Sangliana, at his office chamber. The meeting was attended in good number by members of the programme committee.
In order to enable celebration of the festival with full public participation, several items have been selected, and a discussion about the ongoing preparation is held in the meeting.
Chapchar Kut is scheduled to be held for two days on February 28 and March 1 next. Besides in Aizawl, preogrammes are set to celebrate the Chapchar Kut with splendor and fanfare in all the district headquarters of the state and even in other smaller towns.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/kut-festival/

Folk dance yatra celebration

IMPHAL, Feb 11: The Department of Art & Culture, Government of Manipur as a member of North East Zone Cultural Centre, Dimapur (NEZCC) has decided to jointly organize the “Folk Dance Yatra-Celebration of Zonal Cultural Centre” on February 13 at Bhagayachandra Open Air Theatre (BOAT), Palace Compound in Imphal.
Addressing a press conference at the Directorate of Art & Culture, Palace Compound, Som Kamei, Director, NEZCC said that on completion of its existence for 25 years, the Zonal Cultural Centre in India, including the NEZCC have started a year-long silver jubilee celebration which was inaugurated by Dr Manmohon Singh, Prime Minister of India in the august presence of UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi as the chief guest on April 13, 2012 at Panchkula, Chandigarh.
Manipur will host the programme under the theme “Culture for Peace,” he said.
In continuation of the celebration by the Ministry of Culture, the NEZCC has been organizing a chain (yatra) where folk and tribal cultures are focused, in three-four different places of all the member states starting from Meghalaya, he said.
Different nine communities in Manipur like the Tangkhul, Maram, Tarao, Monsang, Maring, Kom, Kabui, Thadou and Meitei consisting of 15 members each are jointly making an effort to translate the theme into action / performance, he said.
The organisers have felt the need of bringing peace among the peoples of NE states, he said, adding it also felt that organizing a one-day performance/show will not serve the purpose and hence different communities of Manipur are invited and gather under one umbrella for five consecutive days— living, eating together and sharing ideas to create through culture under the creative guidance of W Lokendrajit Singh, choreographer with two assistants.
The year-long silver jubilee celebration of NEZCC will be wrapped up by Sonia Gandhi at the NEZCC headquarter, Dimapur, he further informed.
Dr K Sobita, Director, Department of Art & Culture, Manipur, who was also spoke at the press conference, thanked on behalf of the department to get a chance to host the silver jubilee celebration of NEZCC by Manipur.
She assured the department would include the programme as a yearly event in its annual plan programme.
As part of the Folk Dance Yatra-Celebration of Silver Jubilee of Zonal Cultural Centre, 150 artists from the nine communities presented a 60-minute dance of single-rhythm as a rehearsal at BOAT.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/folk-dance-yatra-celebration/

Syam Sharma’s Leipaklei to be screened in Jeonju film fest

A scene from Leipaklei

Manipur Information Centre
NEW DELHI, January 28: Aribam Syam Sharma’s latest Manipuri feature film-Leipaklei (2012) has been invited for participation at the Jeonju International Film Festival to be held at Jeonju, South Korea from April 25 to May 5, 2013. The Programme Coordinator of the Festival June Yun-kyung Kim informed the film maker Syam Sharma for screening the film in the section- ‘Special Section: Beyond Bollywood’ of the 14th edition of the international film festival.The invitation came after the Jeonju festival authority selected the Manipuri film in the Kolkata International Film Festival.
Based on the Sahitya Akademi Award winning drama- Leipaklei written by Arambam Samarendra, the film tells the story of a woman- Leipaklei who is separated from her husband and whose life is surrounded by the hard trials of fate and is burdened with sustaining herself and her little daughter.She had a lover once, but he joined the army and went to war. It was believed that he died in war.Leipaklei gains inspiration from the moments she spent with him and lives in the hope that he will return one day. He returns eventually, and brings with him a set of dilemmas because they can’t live together. The conclusion is open ended with the two may start living together. Leipaklei is a name of a flower- a symbol of patience and strength. National film award winning actress Leisangthem Tonthoingambi is the protagonist of the film.

Leipaklei had an enthusiastic response from the audience and critics when it was screened in the 18th Kolkata International Film Festival held in Kolkata in November 10-17, 2012 and was the inaugural film of the 5th Guwahati Film Festival held at Guwahati in December 10-16, 2012.
After scoring music as well as acting in the very first Manipuri film -Matamgi Manipur (1972) directed by Deb Kumar Bose, Aribam Syam Sharma made his directorial debut in Lamja Parshuram (1974) which was a superhit film beating the show running record of Raj Kapoor’s Bobby screened at another theatre in Imphal. His second Manipuri film was Saphaabi (1979), based on a Manipuri folk story and received the national award in regional category. His third Manipuri film- Olangthagi Wangmadasoo (1980) was a block buster film running successfully more than 30 weeks breaking the record of Ramesh Sippy’s Sholay which was simultaneously screened in Imphal at another theatres. The film also bagged the regional award in the National Film Awards. Then Syam Sharma never looked back the commercial films and joined the bandwagon of ‘New Wave’ cinema with the making of Imagi Ningthem in 1981 which marked the first Indian film to have won the top prize of ‘Grand Prix’ in the Festival of Three Continents, Nantes in 1982. His Ishanou (1990) which was screened in the Un Regard Section of the Cannes International Film Festival in 1991 and travelled in many major international film festivals was considered as another masterpice of Syam Sharma and was screened recently in Indian International Film Festival, Goa in the Centenary Indian Film section among 27 Indian films selected.
Acclaimed as one of the most original film makers of India by international critics, Aribam Syam Sharma, now 73, had won five National Film Awards in Manipuri features and eight National Awards in non-features. He earned a great repute of a complete filmmaker in the country for his grand success in making all kinds of films- mainstream films, new wave films and documentaries.

Manipuri dance and Tagore

IMPHAL, Jan 20 NNN: Rabindranath Tagore was responsible for making the Manipuri dance getting recognised world-wide, according to a seminar in Imphal.
A one-day seminar entitled, “Rabindranath Tagore and the Manipuri Dance” was held today at Harimati Dance and Music Centre, Porompat in Imphal East district where noted resource persons presented their papers.
The occasion was organised by Harimati Dance and Music Centre in collaboration with the North East Zone Cultural Centre, Ministry of Culture, Dimapur.
Gracing the occasion, former vice chancellor of Manipur University Ng Bijoy who is also a sitting MLA said that in the year 1919 Rabindranath Tagore first witnessed a Manipuri dance in Sylhet, Bangladesh. After that event, the Nobel laureate started analysing Manipuri dance and since then the dance became known world-wide, Ng Bijoy said. The former vice chancellor of Manipur University then said a big credit goes to Rabindranath Tagore in this regard.
Meanwhile, noted personsalities R.K Jhalajit, a Padmashree and Dr M Kriti Singh, another Padmashree presented their papers during the seminar.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/manipuri-dance-and-tagore/

World Cinema directors exchange their film making experiences at IFFI-2012

MNS:- The Palestinian director Annemarie Jacir of the film ‘When I Saw You’, Director Juan Carlos Maneglia of the Spanish-Guarani film ‘7 Boxes’, the director of the Japanese film ‘Éclair’, Akio Kondo and the Director of the Turkish film ‘Love and Revolution’ F.Serkan Acar, shared their experiences of film making and the film scenario in respective countries, during the press conference at the ‘Meet the Director’ section at the 43rd International Film Festival of India in Goa, today. The Palestinian director Annemarie Jacir of the film ‘When I Saw You’ who is living in Jordan revealed that refugees cannot be classified as rich or poor or good and bad. Refugees are refugees. While talking about her film, she said there are six million refugees in Jordan. Regarding the government funding of films she said, recently Arabs are funding for new-wave films.
The Spanish-Guarani film ‘7 Boxes’ by director Juan Carlos Maneglia is a thriller. While discussing about his film at the press conference Juan Carlos told that he never expected that the film would be shown in festivals. Stating that Paraguay does not produce many films, he said the film industry there doesn’t get any funding from the government either.
The director of the Japanese film ‘Éclair’, Akio Kondo told that Japan produces about 500 films a year. The film ‘Éclair’ is based on an autobiographical novel by Shigeru Nishimura. He also revealed that although government does not support the film industry, a cultural society extends help in producing movies. Replying to a question he said, there is no difference between art-house and commercial movies. He said, he believes that films can strengthen friendship between India and Japan.
The Director of the Turkish film ‘Love and Revolution’ F.Serkan Acar, said about 70-80 films are being shown in Istanbul annually and are being supported by the Turkish Cultural Ministry. He said that art-house films in Turkey are getting support even from France, Germany and Hungary. He said Turkish film industry has grown enormously during the last 10 years. A number of Television programmes are also being made in Turkey, he added.

Banian’s critically acclaimed Kumudini to be staged in national theatre festival

Imphal, November 28 : Banian Repertory Theatre’s critically acclaimed Manipuri play- Kumudini is among 19 plays selected for the 29th Nandikar National Theatre Festival to be held from December 16 to 25 this year at the Academy of Fine Arts in Kolkata. During this 2012 edition, the Nandikar will pay tributes to Mohit Chattopadhyay and Sunil Gangopadhyay; and a seminar on Theatre and Integration will also be held.
The Nandikar will issue passes to be available from the Academy ticket counter between 1pm and 7pm from December 9. The available denominations are Rs. 40, Rs. 60 and Rs. 90.
The annual Nandikar National Theatre Festival is the biggest theatre carnival of Kolkata and one of the largest in the country as well. The festival provides a platform for the stalwarts and amateurs alike for not just participants from all over India, but also from the international arena.
Manipuri play- Kumudini directed by M. C. Thoiba and scripted by Dr. M.C.Arun introduces an individual Manipuri woman in the socio-political sphere as voluntary actor.
Maharani Kumudini is the wife of Maharaja Gambhir Singh, who liberated Manipur from Burmese occupation during the Chahi Taret Khuntakpa (The Seven Years Devastation). Maharaja Gambhir Singh died, when his eldest son Chandrakirti was only two. Kumudini found herself in the middle of palace intrigues and attempts by Gambhir
Singh’s brothers and relatives to wrest the throne. She ultimately succeeded in installing her son to the throne, but it was no mean feat for a woman.
Much has been discussed about Manipuri woman. Some have put them on a pedestal. Others say, women are exploited in our society. It is a confusing scenario. The play revolves round a contemporary radical who seeks answers on different facets of contemporary Manipuri woman and her position in the socio-political sphere, in the backdrop of the life and times of Maharani Kumudini.
The play explores the collective and individual womanhood, her desperation and dreams, woman’s space in kinship and political position, power and the patriarchal cultural order in Manipuri society.
Kumudini will be staged on December 23 at 6.30 pm. Kumudini produced in 2007 was recently performed at Hyderabad and Tirupati in the 7th Abhinaya National Theatre Festival 2012in the month of August. A theatre critic- Gudipoodi Srihari in the HINDU in its edition dated 23rd August 2012 wrote, “The four-day-long All India Theatre festival held by Abhinaya was an eye-opener revealing how other language plays are designed to win audience with commitment in choosing themes and coming out with forceful productions. Here was another excellent production by a Manipuri team of artistes, titled ‘Kumudini’, staged at Ravindra Bharati. It was the last play of the festival.
Despite the inability to understand their language, the audience was totally immersed, following thematic substance.
The subjects they choose were quite novel and experimental too. M.C. Thoiba who was actively involved in theatre movement handled this production with utmost care. Crowd scenes, rebellions were well handled”.
The plays selected for this year’s festival are Sukhmani Kohli’s Romeo Juliet and Seven Clowns, Saurabh Nayyar & Nitin Bhardwaj’s Ram Sajeevan Ki Prem Katha, Supriyo Chakraborty’s Hridmajhaare, Vinay Sharma’s Atmakatha, Choiti Ghosh’s A Bird’s Eye View, Suman Mukhopadhyay’s Shunyo Shudhu Shunyo Noy, Anurupa Roy’s Across
the Sea, Ranjit Kapoor’s Chekov Ki Duniya and Adamzaad and Panchlight, Nasir Uddin Yusuf’s The Tempest, Anup Hazarika’s Charandas Chor, Dr Tapanjyoti Das’s Tathagata, Subodh Pattanaik’s Biplabi Bihanga, M C Thoiba’s Kumudini, Baharul Islam’s The Green Serpent, Debabrata Maity’s Lakkoner Shoktishel, Swatilekha Sengupta’s Tushaarmalaar Deshe, Debsankar Halder’s Anto-Aadi-Anto and Swatilekha Sengupta’s Madhabi.Anup Hazarika’s Charandas Chor and Baharul Islam’s The Green Serpent are two Assamese plays from Assam to take part in the festival.

Turkish films shine at IFFI-2012

MNS:- In the ‘Country Focus’ section at 43rd International Film Festival of India in Panaji, Goa today, film makers and directors from Turkey shared their experiences in film making in Turkey. One of the Producers of the film ‘ Do Not Forget Me Istanbul’ Huseyin Karabey, said he had almost gone bankrupt for producing films. But the passion for film making got him going. Recalling the good old days, he said before 80’s a lot of films were being produced in Turkey, but because of socio-political upheavals, the intermediate period witnessed a lull. Mostly, video films were being shot those days. Now film making in Turkey has again got momentum, he added.
The Turkish capital Istanbul is the inspiration for the film ‘Do Not Forget Me Istanbul’. It’s a collaboration between seven internationally acclaimed directors from the Balkans and the Middle East. Working with actors and professionals from Turkey, all the directors and scriptwriters in the project have either lived a short while in Istanbul, or have roots anchored in the city. In these six 15-minute short films, intense human emotions play out through multi-ethnic narratives that make Istanbul romantic, mysterious and simply unforgettable.
The Director of the film ‘The Trace’ Tayfur Aydin said he is impressed by Bollywood movies and he is more close to Asian and Eastern societies than Europe or Western countries. He revealed that Turkey do have block-buster films to its credit. However, he is keen to be associated with meaningful cinema.
‘The Trace’ directed by Tayfur Aydin tells the story of a family, forced to move to Istanbul from eastern Anatolia years ago. The grandmother, Seristan, is at death-bed and wishes to go back to her homeland, and tells this to her son, Mirza. In spite of the discomfort and objections of the family members, he is convinced to take her back. On the way back, she tells the most surprising truth about herself, and dies on the train, wishing to be buried in the American graveyard instead of the one where his son’s father lies. From this point onward, Mirza is determined to carry out her last wish.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/turkish-films-shine-at-iffi-2012/

New wave film-makers demand special theatres for their films

MNS:- Young Indian film-makers and directors of ‘offbeat’ or ‘new wave’ films have pitched in for creating special theatres for showing their films. Addressing a joint press conference in the ‘Meet the Directors – Indian Feature and Non-feature films’ section at the 43rd International Film Festival of India in Panaji, Goa today they felt that there are dedicated viewers for their films but in the absence of a proper distribution mechanism the films are not being released in multiplexes.
The Director of ‘Char : The No-Man’s Island’ Sourav Sarangi said that his film is being shown in Japan and other international film festivals, but it has no takers in India. The Director of ‘Anhey Ghorhey Da Daan’ Gurvinder Singh said that there is a crying need to have a chain of theatres which will show only new wave cinema. The Director of ‘Vanishing Point’ Abhijit Mazumdar and the Director of ‘Lessons in Forgetting’ Unni Vijayan also agreed with them.
‘Char : The No-Man’s Island’ is the story of Rubel, a fourteen-year-old boy who smuggles rice by crossing the river Ganga. The same river eroded his entire village when he was just four. Seven years later, a fragile tiny island called Char formed within the large river. The homeless families from both India and Bangladesh shifted to this forbidden zone. Rubel tries to combine school and smuggling together. However, the demands at home build up. Desperate for a job, Rubel jumps on a train bound for Kerala. Sourav Sarangi explained that his film has tried to trace the conflict between the nature and the human beings as also the indomitable spirit of the marginal man to fight back for his livelihood.
NFDC film ‘Anhey Ghorhey Da Daan’ is the story of a dalit family in a village in Punjab which wakes up to the news of the demolition of a house of one of their community members. Father, a silent sympathizer, joins his community in demanding justice for the affected family. The same day, his son Melu, a cycle-rickshaw puller in the city, is participating in a strike by his union. Cycling through the city streets, Melu feels lost and wonders where to go and what to do. Back in the village, his mother feels humiliated at the treatment meted out by the landlords in whose fields she works. A man wonders asking for the traditional alms while Father decides to visit the city with a friend, even as his daughter Dayalo walks through the village streets in the night. ‘Anhey Ghorhey Da Daan’ has won many awards in various festivals.
‘Vanishing Point’ is the story of two friends Aurko and Sachin. They are travelling by a car to look for locations for a small film they are planning to make. Aurko is perpetually high on marijuana. Sachin doesn’t approve of Aurko’s smoking habit. Aurko comes across an old man whom he keeps seeing at different points of their journey. He gets mesmerized and tries to follow him. Sachin loses track of Aurko. Aurko is left alone in the darkness. As he continues to walk towards his destination, robbers attack him. The journey derails into a realm of the unknown.
‘Lessons in Forgetting’ is a gripping and heartwarming story of redemption, forgiveness and second chances. The story is woven around a single father, J.A. Krishnamurthy, or JAK, who relentlessly follows a trail to find out how his teenage daughter, Smriti, ended up on a hospital bed, almost dead. Helping JAK in his chase is a single mother Meera, whose husband has walked out on their marriage, leaving her to bring up their two growing children and care for her aging mother and grandmother, all on her own.
Directors of ‘Samhita’ Sumitra Bhave and Sunil Sukthankar, also addressed a press conference later today and explained the nuances of the storyline of their film. The story of the film ‘Samhita’ goes like this: an ailing film producer wants his wife to produce a film on his favorite story – a story of passion and surrender between a king and a court singer. The wife hands over the responsibility to Revati who is going through a strained relationship with her husband. She meets the woman writer, Tara, an aristocrat spinster. Hemangi, a well-known actress who is in a live-in-relationship with a painter, is chosen for the role of the court singer.

Visual Media Should Present Sensible Content: International Film Makers

MNS:- Four international film makers interacted with media here today.
Director of film’Material’,Craig Freimond said film is about a qualified doctor who chooses to be comedian.Replying to aquestion that visual media has impacted reading habit of people Craig said that role of visual media becomes more important in presenting sensible content.
Riaad Moosa plays the lead character in the film, a young and Muslim man who works in his father’s fabric shop in Fordsburg, Johannesburg. In the family tradition Riaad, as the only son, is expected to take over the family business from his father. Riaad is a respectful son and has certainly not considered any alternatives; This is his life and his destiny. Until one night, through a series of coincidences, he lands up doing an open mike session at a local comedy blub. He discovers a hidden talent for comedy; and a passion is sparked within him like nothing previously in his life. A heart-warming film that ultimately emphasizes the importance of family.
Director of ‘All Matthew’s Women’, Artur Wiecek said people of Poland love Cinema.
Matthew, a carpenter-artist, a carouser loving life, wine, women and song, dies trivially, as though by accident, choking with a fishbone. But even after his death he does not intend to abandon love conquests and he visits women in their sleep in the town. L Unnoticed and neglected by their bored-with-life husbands the women, thanks to Matthew, find the desire to live. Meanwhile, Matthew’s widow, Caroline, tidying things after the deceased husband, sports various proofs of his infidelity. She realizes that during her whole life she was being lied to by her husband. She decides to break with her past life and wants a fresh start.
Director of Cuban film ‘Una Noche’ Lucy Mulloysaid her film is about dreams of two teens getting rich.
Fed up with living in poverty while catering to a privileged tourist class, Cuban teens Raul and Elio are tantalized by the idea of fleeing the confines of their broken-down country for a new life in Miami. When Roul is accused of assaulting a foreigner, he has no choice but to escape, but Elio must decide whether his desire for freedom and helping Raul are worth abandoning his beloved twin sister, Lila. Brimming with the nervous energy of Havana’s restless youth and the evocative cinematography of the sun-bleached capital, Una Noche follows one sweltering day, full of hope and fraught with tension that burns to a shocking climax.
Director of film ‘ Sister’ (France-Switzerland), Ursula Meir said says it is story of two sisters.
A luxury ski resort in Switzerland. 12-year-old Simon lives in the industrial valley below, with his jobless sister. Every day, he takes the sky-lift to the opulent ski world above, stealing equipment from the rich tourists to resell to the local kids back down. As the partners with a crooked British seasonal worker, Simon loses his boundaries, which affects the relationship with his sister. Confronted with a truth they had both been escaping, Simon seeks refuge up above.