After seven days of film screenings and cultural activities, the 2nd North East India Film Festival (NEIFF) 2025 came to an end on Sunday at the Library & Information Centre in Kakching. The festival, which was organized by THOUNA, Manipur, in collaboration with the Directorate of Information & Public Relations and the Film Forum Manipur, began on February 12 at the City Convention Centre. The National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) and the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting sponsored it.
The Assamese film “Where Is My Home” won the Best Non-Feature Film prize at the awards event, while the Manipuri feature film “Oitharei” was recognized as the Best Feature Film. Citations and monetary awards were given to both films. The films “Oitharei” (produced by Gibanlata Thokchom and directed by Dinesh Naorem) and “Where Is My Home” (produced by Samiran Deka and directed by Bhaskar Jyoti Das) were praised for their artistic merits. The main guest, Thongju MLA Th. Biswajit, emphasized the value of film as a storytelling and cultural representation medium and urged for high-caliber filmmaking.
Other attendees, like Kakching MLA M. Rameshwar Singh and IPR and Art & Culture Commissioner M. Joy Singh, also discussed the importance of quality work and positive narratives in the sector. Over the course of the five-day festival, three locations exhibited 28 films, six of which were Assamese. To showcase the tremendous cinematic talent of Northeast India, ten films were given awards in various categories, including Best Cinematography, Best Screenplay, and Best Direction.
