2 films from Manipur make the cut

IMPHAL, Feb 18: Manipuri documentary film makers Amar Maibam’s ‘Highways of Life’ and Ratan Maibam’s ‘Beyond Blast’ are among the 64 films selected for the 13th Festival of Southasian Documentaries which is scheduled to be held from April 21-24 this year at Kathmandu.
It is worth mentioning that more than 3,000 entries had been submitted for the biennial festival organized by Film Southasia (FSA).
‘Highways of Life’, produced by Films Division, Mumbai has previously earned National and international acclaim. The documentary was also selected in the Indian Panorama films of the 51st International Film Festival of India, 2020.
The 52-minute film ‘Highways of Life’ is a detailed look at the high octane lives of Manipur's highway truckers.
Manipur is connected to the rest of the world only through two National Highways. But frequent economic blockades, general strikes, armed ransom/extortion and bad road conditions make these lifelines life-threatening for truckers. The film depicts the journey of a group of truckers through these unfavourable highways putting their lives on the frontline, ferrying essential commodities to serve the three million people of Manipur.
Notably, ‘Highways of Life’ has already bagged several awards including Best Non-Feature Film, Best Direction, Best Cinematography and Best Editing in the 13th Manipur State Film Awards, 2020.
Besides, it was also adjudged the Best Film among the eight films that competed in the international category section of the Eighth Liberation DocFest, Bangladesh.
Meanwhile, Ratan Maibam's ‘Beyond Blast’ is the story of an artist who fell victim to a bomb blast. The 52-minute film also received international recognition recently.  It won Best Director of Photography in the Goa International Film Festival and Best Documentary Feature Film in the Port Blair International Film Festival in December, 2021.
As for the 13th Festival of Southasian Documentaries, the director of the best film will receive the Ram Bahadur Trophy and a cash prize of USD $2000. The film judged second best will get a citation and a cash prize of USD $1000. FSA ‘22 will also recognize the Best Debut Film, and the winner will be awarded a citation and cash prize of USD $1000.
 The UNICEF Nepal Award (instituted in 2013), given to the film that best portrays children's issues, carries a cash prize of USD $1000 and a citation.