Cinema of Manipur
The Cinema of Manipur is the film industry based in Manipur, India. It includes not only Meitei language movies but also productions in the various languages spoken by Manipur's different communities. The Manipuri film industry was born with the release of Matamgi Manipur by Debkumar Bose on 9 April 1972. From Aribam Syam Sharma's Paokhum Ama and M.A. Singh's Langlen Thadoi to Oken Amakcham's Lammei, Haobam Paban Kumar's Loktak Lairembee, Priyakanta Laishram's Oneness and many others, Manipuri cinema has evolved in terms of both form and cultural expression.
Prior to Matamgi Manipur, there were several attempts made to make a film in the state, the most significant being Mainu Pemcha in 1948, which was left incomplete.
Aribam Syam Sharma's Ishanou which was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 1991 Cannes Film Festival was the only Indian film to be considered under Cannes Classic section at the Cannes Film Festival 2023.
In 2002, the Revolutionary People's Front banned Hindi-language films from being shown in the state. This has led to an increased local interest in Manipuri-language cinema and decreased attendance in local theatres.
Notable feature films: 1972-2022
This section covers notable Manipuri feature films released between 9 April 1972 and 9 April 2022. Notable films, in this context, include those films which have participated or won awards in national and international film festivals, and the films which have made history.| Year of release | Film | Notes | Director |
| 1972 | Matamgi Manipur | The First Manipuri feature film. Won Best Feature Film in Manipuri at the 20th National Film Awards. | Debkumar Bose |
| 1973 | Brojendragee Luhongba | Manipuri movie made by the first filmmaker of Manipur Sapam Nodia Chand. | S.N. Chand |
| 1976 | Saaphabee | The first Manipuri folk movie. Won Best Feature Film in Manipuri at the 24th National Film Awards. | Aribam Syam Sharma |
| 1980 | Olangthagee Wangmadasoo | Won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Manipuri at the 27th National Film Awards. | Aribam Syam Sharma |
| 1981 | Imagi Ningthem | Won the Golden Montgolfiere at the Festival des 3 Continents, Nantes, in 1982, becoming the first Indian film to win a grand prix award. Won the National Film Award for Best Child Artist and National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Manipuri at the 29th National Film Awards. | Aribam Syam Sharma |
| 1983 | Sanakeithel | Won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Manipuri at the 31st National Film Awards. | M. A. Singh |
| 1983 | Paokhum Ama | The first Manipuri colour feature film. Screened at the Tyneside International Film Festival, U.K. | Aribam Syam Sharma |
| 1984 | Langlen Thadoi | The first Manipuri colour full-length feature film. First film to be produced by a woman, Kh. Sakhi Devi. | M. A. Singh |
| 1986 | Nonglei | The first VHS feature film in the Meiteilon language. | Ramchandra |
| 1990 | Ishanou | Screened at the Un Certain Regard section of the 1991 Cannes International Film Festival. Won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Manipuri and Special Mention Award at the 38th National Film Awards. | Aribam Syam Sharma |
| 1992 | Khonthang | Selected for Indian Panorama of the International Film Festival of India, New Delhi, in 1993. Invited to Singapore International Film Festival 1994 and Festival of SPARROW, Mumbai, 2008. | Oken Amakcham |
| 1993 | Sambal Wangma | Won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Manipuri at the 41st National Film Awards. Selected for Indian Panorama of the International Film Festival of India 1994. | K. Ibohal Sharma |
| 1993 | Madhabee | Movie with the longest running time in the history of Manipuri cinema. It is based on the first Manipuri novel of the same title by Dr. Lamabam Kamal. | L. Banka Sharma |
| 1994 | Mayophy Gee Macha | Won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Manipuri at the 42nd National Film Awards. | Oken Amakcham |
| 1995 | Sanabi | Won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Manipuri at the 43rd National Film Awards. Screened at the International Film Festival of India and Cairo International Film Festival, Egypt. | Aribam Syam Sharma |
| 1997 | Khamba Thoibi | Based on the Mahakavya Khamba Thoibi written by Hijam Anganghal. | Moirangthem Nilamani Singh |
| 2000 | Chatledo Eidi | Won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Manipuri at the 48th National Film Awards. Selected for Indian Panorama of the 32nd International Film Festival of India 2001. | Makhonmani Mongsaba |
| 2000 | Paari | The first Manipuri children's film. | Aribam Syam Sharma |
| 2002 | Lammei | The first Manipuri video film to have a commercial screening at a theatre. It marked the beginning of a digital era in Manipuri cinema. | Oken Amakcham |
| 2007 | Yenning Amadi Likla | Entered into the feature film section of the Indian Panorama of the International Film Festival of India 2007. | Makhonmani Mongsaba |
| 2009 | Nobap | Opening film at the 2nd Guwahati Film Festival 2009. | Heisnam Tomba |
| 2009 | Keibu Keioiba | Official selection in the Mumbai International Film Festival 2010; first animated feature film in Manipuri. | Bhumenjoy Konsam |
| 2011 | Phijigee Mani | Received award for Best Supporting Actress and the regional award for National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Manipuri at the 59th National Film Awards. Selected for Indian Panorama 2011. | Oinam Gautam Singh |
| 2011 | Fried Fish, Chicken Soup and a Premiere Show | National Film Award for Best Arts/Cultural Film at the 59th National Film Awards. | Mamta Murthy |
| 2012 | Leipaklei | Selected for 14th Jeonju International Film Festival, South Korea 2012, 18th Kolkata International Film Festival and 5th Guwahati Film Festival. Won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Manipuri at the 60th National Film Awards. | Aribam Syam Sharma |
| 2013 | Nangna Kappa Pakchade | Received Special Jury Award with the title Epic Mirror of the Century in the Kinshasa International Film Festival 2017. Screened at Ladakh International Film Festival 2014 in the Indian Feature section. | Makhonmani Mongsaba |
| 2014 | Pallepfam | Screened in the 10th Habitat Film Festival in May 2015. Opened the 2nd edition of Fragrances from the Northeast, a 3-day festival of cinema from the northeast. Official selection in the 46th International Film Festival of India 2015 under the section New Horizon from the North East. | Wanglen Khundongbam |
| 2015 | Eibusu Yaohanbiyu | Won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Manipuri at the 63rd National Film Awards. | Maipaksana Haorongbam |
| 2016 | Loktak Lairembee | Participated in around 16 International Film Festivals across the globe and won several awards. Won Best Film on Environment/Conservation/Preservation at the 64th National Film Awards. | Haobam Paban Kumar |
| 2018 | Magi Matambakta | Selected for Bengaluru International Film Festival 2018, Third Eye Asian Film Festival, Mumbai 2020 and Delhi International Film Festival 2020. Won the Best Manipuri Film in the 2nd Jharkhand International Film Festival Awards 2019. | Makhonmani Mongsaba |
| 2019 | Nongphadok Lakpa Atithi | Premiered at the 3rd Guwahati International Film Festival as the Opening Film of the Indian Section. Official selection at 5th North-East Film Festival 2020, Pune. Opening Film at 12th International Guwahati Film Festival 2020. | Aribam Syam Sharma |
| 2019 | Pandam Amada | World premiered at the Dhaka International Film Festival 2020. | Oinam Gautam Singh |
| 2019 | Eigi Kona | Won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Manipuri at the 67th National Film Awards. Selected for the 51st International Film Festival of India in the feature section. Official selections at the Indica Film Utsav 2020, 4th Ottawa Indian Film Festival Awards 2021 and Thrissur International Film Festival 2021. | Bobby Wahengbam and Maipaksana Haorongbam |
| 2020 | Nine Hills One Valley | Special Mention Award in the Film Bazaar Recommends Section of the Film Bazaar 2020. Official selection at the Jogja-NETPAC Asian Film Festival 2021, Indonesia. Entered into the India Gold section of the 22nd Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival 2022. | Haobam Paban Kumar |
| 2020 | Nakamh-Riangsuanneic | World premiered at the International Folklore Film Festival of Kerala 2021. A Rongmei film. | Kachangthai Gonmei |
| 2021 | Eikhoigi Yum | Official selections at the 22nd Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival 2022 and 27th International Film Festival of Kerala 2022. Won Best Feature Film in Manipuri at the 69th National Film Awards. | Romi Meitei |
| 2021 | Apaiba Leichil | Official selections at the 18th International Film Festival of Thrissur 2023, Kerala and Kashish International Queer Film Festival 2023, Mumbai. | Bobby Wahengbam |