Shillong, Jun 17: The ongoing 19th Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF 2026) is set to illuminate the cultural richness of Northeast with short fictions and documentaries that collectively showcase the region’s traditions, historical narratives, and ecological richness.
Created in local languages such as Khasi, Nagamese, Ao, Kokborok, Bhutia, Assamese, Manipuri and Mizo, these cinematic works showcase the rich traditions, historical, and ecological tapestry of India’s North-East.
Through portraits of remarkable individuals, enduring traditions, varying communities, and landscapes under change, the films reveal the many voices that define the region.
Among the many films that entered the festival, which will conclude on June 21, are ‘Ka Pateng’, a Khasi short fiction directed by Sankirang L. Khongwir that delves into the dynamics of family and loss. The film unfolds in the aftermath of a mother’s death, which brings three estranged siblings back together under the same roof after years of separation. The oldest brother returns after a long stay in the city, the middle child carries the weight of a painful childhood memory, and the youngest sister harbours a secret that makes her doubt her imminent motherhood.
Equally compelling is ‘Lentina Ao – A Light on the Eastern Horizon’, a documentary that pays tribute to the humanitarian efforts of Lentina Ao, a social worker who dedicated herself to the welfare and upliftment of the Naga people. Beginning her journey in 1955 as a midwife in the remote Naga Hills, Lentina Ao devoted decades to serving her community, often confronting social injustices, entrenched prejudices, and personal hardships.
Another documentary, ‘My Last Face: Flat-Nose’ is set against the verdant landscapes of Tripura. The film explores the rich cultural heritage of the Reang community through its traditional attire and ornaments. More than mere adornments, these garments and ornaments serve as enduring symbols of beauty, spirituality, identity, and protection, carrying stories, beliefs, and ancestral knowledge across generations. By documenting these living traditions, the film offers a nuanced insight into the community’s cultural practices and the vital role they play in preserving collective memory and identity.
Furthermore, ‘Shangrila – The Hidden Paradise’ goes beyond the region’s internationally celebrated landscapes and tourism appeal to explore its lesser-known history, culture, and geography of Sikkim. Through a deeper examination of the state’s heritage and identity, the documentary offers a compelling portrait of a land whose rich legacy remains largely unexplored.
Other films are ‘Teen of 1942’ from Assam that celebrates the extraordinary patriotism of teenage freedom fighters Bholanath Nagaria and Radha Bora, the ‘Healing Priest’, a Mizo short fiction film that draws ancient healing ritual of Daibawl and ‘Manipur Brow Antlered Deer’ about the Sangai, the endangered deer subspecies, reflects on the fragile relationship between wildlife, habitat conservation, and the socio-political realities of the region.
All these films introduce festival audiences to the vibrant mosaic of heritage, identity, resilience, and nature that continues to shape the rhythms of everyday life in the Northeast.
