Imphal, February 12: Having bagged the International Jury award and International Critic award at the just concluded Mumbai International Film Festival, the film, AFSPA, 1958 directed by Haobam Pawankumar which depicts the death of Thangjam Manorama and the subsequent public outcry and demand for revocation of the Act has been invited to take part in film festivals to be held at Canada, UK and Korea.

Talking to The Sangai Express, 29-year old Pawankumar who is studying in the final year of film direction and screenplay writing at the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute, Kolkata informed that his film has been invited for the film festivals to be held at Canada, UK and Korea.

The only son of Haobam Tarun and Haobam Ongbi Thiyam Ningol Romola Devi of Uripok Haobam Dewan Leikai, Pawankumar said that he got the inspiration of entering the world of film making seriously from his uncle and noted theatre personality Ratan Thiyam.

His mother is a younger sister of Ratan Thiyam.

When asked what he thinks were the main elements in his film that attracted the juries and the critics alike, the young director said it was the depiction of the true pictures of the event that took place along with a fitting narration. Pawankumar informed that he got admission to Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute in his sixth attempt.

From next month, he will work on a 30-minute long film on 35 mm format which would also serve as his project for the final year.

After that there would be no looking back and he would continue to make more films, he said with determination.

As a matter of fact, Pawankumar, who graduated from Mysore University and learnt videography from Asian Academy of Film and Television, Noida is not a stranger to accolades and award.

In 2000,, the film '14th Kangla' directed by him for by him for UGC-CEC won the prize for the best programme on social science.

He had also directed Urei and Laiphadibi for AVRC.

Manipur University.

AFSPA, 1958 was produced by Bachaspatimayum Sanzu who is a journalist by profession.

Expressing happiness on winning the award, Sanzu informed that they brought out three films on the same theme but of different duration.

77-minute long AFSPA, 1958 was made into a full length documentary, the same film was translated into Finnish under the title Cry for Justice and another 15-minute long short film was made under the title Images and Voices.

The efforts being made by the Effective TV since 1992 has bore fruits, he said, adding that arrangements are being made to set up a visual archive.

Sanzu said he would continue to bring out more meaningful films.

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