Film on Irom Sharmila awarded
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, November 23 2011: A film on Manipur's human rights activist and poet Irom Chanu Sharmila was awarded best documentary award in the 2nd Siliguri International Short and Documentary film festival.

The 15 minute film is titled 'The Silent Poet' produced and directed by journalist Borun Thokchom, correspondent of Guwahati based TV channel DY365 .

"The festival committee informed me to come and receive a certificate and a memento during an award distribution function to be held at Siliguri on November 27",says the young film maker Borun when contacted.

The film that highlights the poetic side of Sharmila who has been on indefinite fast since November 2, 2000, was edited by Biju Das.

Out of the many poems she has written, she narrates "O' Stranger" mirroring the amalgamation of events happening in Manipur, North-East India.

Iron Lady of Manipur has been on a hunger strike since November 2, 2000 to have the act, which provides unlimited powers to security forces to shoot at sight and arrest anybody without a warrant, repealed.

Sharmila launched the indefinite hunger strike after she heard the killing of 10 people by armymen in Malom, on the outskirts Imphal.

Inside a highly guarded hospital prison, 39 year old Sharmila scribes her notebook while serving her sentence for "attempt to commit suicide" .

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