Imphal : Three films from Northeast India, including Manipuri filmmaker Haobam Paban Kumar’s feature film Joseph’s Son, are set to be screened at the Marché du Film 2026 during the ongoing Cannes Film Festival in France.

The films selected from the region are Joseph’s Son, Galo-language film Karken directed by Nending Loder, and Bodo-language film My Three Sisters by Kenny Basumatary. Joseph’s Son was scheduled for screening on Monday, while the other two films are expected to be screened on May 18 and 19.

The film follows the story of Joseph, a highlander searching for his missing son amid escalating ethnic violence. The feature had earlier earned international recognition after being screened in the Golden Goblet Competition section of the 25th Shanghai International Film Festival.

The film also received the Special Jury Award at the 29th Kolkata International Film Festival and later won the Best Director Award at the 1st North East India Film Festival 2024. Officials said the selected films would be showcased for worldwide distribution opportunities, including theatrical release rights, OTT and Video-on-Demand licensing, as well as satellite distribution deals.

The screenings are part of India’s regional cinema showcase organised by the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) at the Marché du Film, being held alongside the Cannes Film Festival from May 12 to 23.

The Marché du Film, regarded as the business arm of the Cannes Film Festival, is one of the world’s largest film markets, attracting thousands of filmmakers, distributors, investors and production houses from nearly 90 countries each year.