New Delhi, October 27: Two documentary films namely Guru Laimayum Thambalngoubi Devi directed by renowned film maker Aribam Shyam Sharma and another film on Shyam Sharma by Gurumayum Nirmal from Manipur have been selected in non-feature section of the Indian Panorama of the 37th International Film Festival of India 2006 to be held at Panaji in Goa from November 23 to December 3 this year.

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India organizes the Festival.

Reacting on the selection of his film and another film made on him, Shyam Sharma said, it was a great moment that his film and another film made on his life and works together have entered the festival.

His film was made in Betacam format and produced by the Doordarshan Kendra Imphal.

Shyam Sharma said, �Guru Thambalngoubi Devi is a versatile multifaceted figure.

Though she is known as a Manipuri classical dancer, she was also a good leading actress in Manipuri theatre and acted in many plays produced by Chitraganda Natya Mandir, Rupmahal Theatre, Paradise Theatre and Manipur Dramatic Union.

She was also the first leading heroine of Manipuri cinema, took the role of Mainupemcha in the film - Ma made in Hindi in 1948-49, but it was not completed�.

The 26�minute documentary film depicts the contribution of Guru Thambalngoubi in the field of Manipuri dance, drama and film through interview by MK Binodini and background narration by Khun Joykumar.

The octogenarian was the disciple of Guru Amubi Singh and the pioneer of the solo Manipuri dance.

The film is made in Manipuri with English Subtitle.

The 30-minute documentary - Aribam Shyam Sharma - directed by Gurumayum Nirmal tells about the life and works of the renowned filmmaker Aribam Shyam Sharma.

It is an in-house production of Programme Production Centre, North East of Doordarshan, Guwahati.

Having worked with Aribam Shyam Sharma in various capacities as Production Controller, Manager, Chief Assistant Director etc.

since 1987, Gurumayum Nirmal earlier directed four TV documentaries namely, Gourachandra, the Architect of Peoples� Museum, The Potteries of Manipur, Yotsung Yotsa � the iron smelting of Manipur and Nupi Keithel Part 1 and 2. This year, the two juries of Indian Panorama 2006 selected 20 films each of feature films and non-feature films.

No Manipuri film has been selected in the feature films section.

Manju Borah�s Assamese film - Joymati and Ahsan Muzid�s Arunachali film in Monpa dialect- Sonam are the two feature films selected from North East Region.

The juries watched 96 feature films and 102 non-feature films produced between August 1, 2005 and August 31, 2006, over a period of 16 days to make the selection.

The first International Film Festival of India (IFFI) was held in Bombay in 1952.At the third festival in 1965, the first competitive one for India, the Paris based Federation Internationale des Associations de Producteurs de films (FIAPF) gave official recognition to the Indian Festival putting it on par with those of Cannes, Berlin, Venice, Karlovy Vary and Moscow.

Since the 9th IFFI in 1983, with the participation of 22 countries, the festival has become a major forum for Third World Cinema.

Again at the 27th IFFI in 1996, the festival included the competitive section on alternative years for Asian Women directors only.

It was expanded at the 29th IFFI in 1998 including the competition section for Asian directors.

Goa became a permanent venue for the festival from 2004 onwards.

In the last IFFI, the competition section was further expanded for Asia/ African/Latin American film Directors.

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