Borun Thokchom, a renowned filmmaker and video journalist, has brought attention to a crucial aspect of Manipur’s history through his documentary
Biswadeep Gupta
Imphal : The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting has announced the Indian Panorama Official Selection for the 56th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) 2025, and the Manipuri documentary film “Battlefield” has made it to the prestigious list.
IFFl, organised by the Government of India, is the only film festival in South Asia accredited by the International Federation of Film Producers’ Associations (FIAPF) among international festivals in the Competitive Feature Films category.
The film, directed by Borun Thokchom, will have its world premiere at the festival, scheduled from November 20 to 28, 2025, in Goa. The film is produced by Manjoy Lourembam, Dr. Radhesyam Oinam and Viswamithra universals, a Hyderabad based production firm.
Manjoy Lourembam is a multifaceted professional leading a real estate corporate company in Hyderabad. He has now ventured into filmmaking, making his debut as a producer. Meanwhile, Dr. Radhesyam Oinam, Proprietor of Network Services, Imphal, has been mentoring and nurturing filmmakers from the state for many years.
“Battlefield” is a powerful documentary that sheds light on the enduring impact of World War II on Manipur, through the voices of survivors and those affected.
The film also exposes the stark contrast between the commemoration of war heroes in distant lands and the silence surrounding the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Manipur. War researcher Rajeshwor Yumnam has been featured in the documentary film that has been shot over 10 years.
The Indian Panorama selection committee has chosen 25 feature films and 20 non-feature films for the festival. Borun Thokchom, a renowned filmmaker and video journalist, has brought attention to a crucial aspect of Manipur’s history through his documentary.
Significantly, “Battlefield” was incubated, developed at MSFDS’ “Imphal documentor”, a 5-day documentary project development lab, jointly realised with support from Documentary Resource Initiative (DRI), Kolkata and Television Cine Foundation Manipur in 2022. The 56th IFFI promises to be an exciting celebration of cinema, with “Battlefield” being one of the highlights.
