Our Mission

The Eikhoigi Imphal International Film Festival (EIIFF) was launched in April 2022 as part of Manipuri Cinema’s Golden Jubilee celebration. It has become a landmark biennial event celebrating national and international cinema. Supported by India’s Ministry of Information & Broadcasting and the Manipur State Film & Television Institute, the inaugural EIIFF realized Manipur’s aspiration for an international film festival that showcases regional cinema and fosters global cultural exchange. The Directorate of Film Festivals, Government of India contributed significantly by providing a celluloid collection featuring iconic works from Indian filmmakers like Satyajit Ray, Adoor Gopalakrishnan, G Aravindan, Girish Kasaravalli and Mrinal Sen.

A total of 12 feature films and 8 non-feature films were screened at the EIIFF 2022, including the premieres of two Manipuri feature films: Eigi Yum by Romi Meitei and Nine Hills One Valley by Haobam Paban Kumar. Acclaimed regional films like Iewduh (Khasi, directed by Pradeep Kurbah) and Ishu (Assamese, directed by Utpal Borpujari) were also showcased. The international section included non-fiction films from Iran, Germany, Korea, the Philippines, and Norway.

Besides film screenings, EIIFF 2022 hosted a series of talks, such as “Treating a Nuanced Story: Director’s Tools” and “Emerging Reality Storytellers,” with insights from filmmakers Pradeep Kurbah, Utpal Borpujari, and Nilotpal Majumdar. Emerging Kolkata-based filmmakers, including Rajdeep Paul, Sarmistha Maiti, and Kaushik Hafizee, also participated, adding diverse cinematic voices to the event. A notable addition was a 5-day edit lab conducted by FTII graduate Pankaj Joshi Kumar for 29 local editors, in collaboration with a practicing Manipuri editor specializing in non-fiction films.

The festival included local musical and dance performances between screenings, enriching the international festival’s celebratory spirit.

The 2nd EIIFF 2025 aims to expand its scope with Industry Engagement, a Talent Lab, and an Open Competition for Shorts (fiction), Documentaries, and Feature-length Fiction films, a Classics Section, Spotlight including the Best of the Festivals, and the Northeast Waves, accepting films made between January 2023 to December 2024.

EIIFF seeks to celebrate the art of cinema, positioning Manipur, the gateway to Southeast Asia, as a key hub for filmmaking in the region.