IMPHAL, June 16 - All the three national film award winners from Manipur were felicitated at a function here on Thursday. They were presented a citation along with a shawl each during the function.
The felicitation of national film awardees � Meghachandra Kongbam (best critic), Mapipaksana Haorongbam (best director feature film) and Meena Longjam(best director on a social issue; film-Auto driver) along with popular young film maker Haobam Pabankumar � was organised by Manipur State Film Development Society in association with Cine Artistes & Technicians� Association (CATA) Manipur. Meghachandra Kongbam is the third person from Manipur to receive the Swarna Kamal, the highest award.
Earlier, Manipur got two Swarna Kamals � filmmaker Haobam Paban Kumar�s AFSPA 1958 for Best Non-Feature Film in 2008 and RK Bidur for Best Film Critic Award shared with Assam�s Altaf Majid in 2008. Manipur has so far received 15 Rajat Kamals from 13 Manipuri feature films and 17 from 16 non-feature films.
Manipur Chief Secretary O Nabakishore, Commissioner Arts and Culture K Radhakumar Singh, President of CATA L Banka Sharma and eminent film maker Aribam Syam Sharma attended the function.
Commissioner Radhakumar informed that the State Government is taking all necessary steps to bring out a Manipuri film policy soon. Two national and international award winning films Phum-Shang by Haobam Paban Kumar and Auto-driver by Meena Longjam were screened at the function.
