Tripura’s ‘Yarwng’ Gets National Film Award

NEW DELHI, Jan. 27, 2010, 09.00 Hrs (CM Paul / CBCI News):

Acclaimed Kokborok Feature film from Tripura ‘Yarwng’ (Roots) has won National Award in the category of ‘Best Feature Film in languages other than those specified in the Schedule VIII of the Constitution’. The 56th National Film Awards was announced by Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Ambika Soni, on 23rd January in New Delhi.

It is the first time the Northeast Indian state of Tripura wins a national film award.

Ever since its release in September 2008, the 95 minute long feature film in Kokborok has been screened at over 40 international film festival venues across the world, including New York, Stuttgart, Moscow, Brisbane, Dhaka and Taiwan.

It was the Opening Film of the Indian Panorama section of the International Film Festival of India 2008, held in Goa.

‘Yarwng’ also picked up a Special Jury Mention Award at the 7th Third Eye Asian Film Festival held in Mumbai, 2008.

Produced by Joseph Kizhakechennadu sdb of Don Bosco Sampari Pictures and directed by Joseph Pulinthanath sdb, the film takes a poignant look at the displacement of thousands of indigenous people in Tripura on account of the Gumti Hydel project.

The cast of ‘Yarwng’, which New York Times described as a ‘rare glimpse into tribal India’ is made up mostly of indigenous people who are themselves victims of displacement and had no experience whatsoever in acting.

Those with prior experience in the film field include well-known artistes of the state - Meena Debbarma and Amulya Ratan Jamatia. The technical crew of ‘Yarwng’ was from the south Indian city of Trivandrum.

The National Award comes as a shot in the arm not only for the nascent film industry in the state, but for the tribal communities and Kokborok language in particular.

“Along with everyone else involved in the making of ‘Yarwng’, I feel happy that we have been able to get for Tripura and its people, its first National Film Award. I am hopeful we shall see more such awards in future,” said Pulinthanath, the director of Yarwng. “It is a proud day for Kokborok language and its speakers,” he added.

The film was made with financial assistance from funding agencies of the Catholic Church – Signis (Brussels), Missio (Germany) and the Salesian Congregation.

The President of India, Pratibha Patil would give away the National Film Awards in March 2010