Haobam Paban Kumar’s documentary film ‘Iron Women of Manipur’ and Meena Longjam’s
documentary film ‘Andro Dreams’ will compete in the 15th International Documentary and
Short Film Festival of Kerala 2023 organised by the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy on
behalf of Government of Kerala to be held at Thiruvananthapuram from August 5 to 9 this
year.
‘Iron Women of Manipur’ has been officially selected among 15 films in the Competition
Short Documentary category and ‘Andro Dreams’ among 14 films in the Competition Long
Documentary category of the festival, said a statement issued by Meghachandra Kongbam,
president, Film Society of Manipur.
Haobam Paban Kumar’s 26-minute long Manipuri documentary is a tribute to the sports
personalities of the country who have contributed immensely to the development of women
in sports.The film follows the inspiring stories of the pioneers of women weightlifters, from
N Kunjarani Devi, Padmashri Awardee 2011 and Anita Chanu, Dhyanchand Awardee to the
present-day weightlifting sensation of India Mirabai Chanu, Padmashri Awardee 2018.
Narration and subject expert of the film is sports journalist Ratneshwari Goswami. Saikhom
Ratan takes the helm as cameraman with Laishram Devakumar Meetei as the sound designer
and Sankha, the editor. The film is produced by the Films Division.
Meanwhile, Meena Longjam’s 63 minute and 17 seconds long documentary is the love story
of Laibi, an old woman with a spirited soul and her three decade old all girls’ football club
battling economic challenges, patriarchal system and orthodoxy in an ancient village of north
east India.
Sunny Sarungbam is the cameraman, Debajit Gayal sound designer, Sankha editor and Jimbo
Takhellambam music in the film which is produced by Airameen Media and Janis
Vishwanath.
