Manipur's Imphal to host the third North East India Film Festival on March 21-22
Chairman of the organizing committee, Y Nilachandra Singh said that eight awards would be presented during the festival, each carrying a citation, statuette & cash prize
Imphal, March 10: The third edition of the North East India Film Festival (NEIFF) 2026 will be held in Manipur's capital city Imphal on March 21 and 22, providing a platform for filmmakers from across the eight Northeastern states to showcase their works.
The announcement was made during a press conference in Imphal on Monday.
Addressing the press, Chairman of the organizing committee Y. Nilachandra Singh said the festival aims to bring together filmmakers from all eight Northeastern states, including Sikkim.
“The third edition will cover all the eight states in the Northeast, including Sikkim. We have already organised two editions earlier in 2024 and 2025, and this year we are hosting the third edition,” he said.
He added that the festival dates were finalised only recently after receiving necessary clearance from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
“This time it has been a bit different as we were late in organising the festival due to the need for clarification from the sponsors and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. In the first week of March, the ministry gave clearance, which is why we have fixed the dates for March 21 and 22,” he stated.
Singh further said that eight awards would be presented during the festival, each carrying a citation, statuette and cash prize.
Awards to be presented during the festival include Best Feature Film, Best Non-Feature Film, Best Director of Feature Film, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Sound, Best Screenplay of Feature Film and the Hon’ble Jury Award. Each award will carry a citation, statuette and cash prize. The jury may also confer a Special Mention on a film or individual.
“The award values will not be less than earlier editions, and there is a possibility of an increase in the cash prize from the ministry,” he added.
The organisers said there will be no entry fee for film submissions, with the last date for online application and submission of entries fixed for March 19, 2026, till 5 pm.
Convenor of the festival, Robert Leisgangthem, said the organisers have kept the registration process free to encourage wider participation.
Meanwhile, DIPR Additional Director T. Ramesh Singh appealed to film enthusiasts and the public to attend the screenings.
“Rare cinemas are often not screened in theatres but can be watched only in film festivals,” he said, urging people to participate and watch the films.
The festival aims to encourage films with aesthetic and technical excellence while promoting social relevance and the diverse cultural narratives of the Northeastern region through cinema.
It will also provide a platform for filmmakers, directors, writers, editors, producers and cinematographers from the region to present their creative works and strengthen the growth of a vibrant regional film industry.
According to the organisers, the festival will be a competitive event for both feature and non-feature films produced in the Northeastern region and certified by the Central Board of Film Certification between January 1 and December 31, 2025.
The festival will be held at Tanthapolis Cinema, Lamphel, Imphal.
It will be organised by THOUNA, Manipur, in association with the Department of Information and Public Relations (DIPR), Government of Manipur, and the All Manipur Film Producers Association. It is being sponsored by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, and the National Film Development Corporation.
For further details regarding entry forms and festival guidelines, filmmakers can visit the official website neiffman.org.