Correspondent
KOHIMA, SEP 30 (NPN): Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio has described ‘Angh’s’ Platform Prize at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) 2026 as a historic achievement for Nagaland and the Naga people, saying the film has taken a story rooted in Naga history, culture and people to an international audience.
Rio congratulated filmmaker Theja Rio and the entire team of Angh for receiving award, describing the achievement as historic for Nagaland and the Naga people.
Theja Rio, writer and director of Angh along with the cast and crew, were felicitated at a programme hosted by Kaisa Rio and chief minister Neiphiu Rio at the State Banquet Hall, CMRC, Kohima, on Tuesday. Addressing the gathering, Neiphiu Rio said the significance of Angh went beyond being Theja’s debut feature and the only Indian film selected for the TIFF Platform Competition, as it brought a story rooted in Naga history, culture and people to an international audience.
He highlighted Theja’s earlier works, including Remains and Ade (On a Sunday), saying his journey reflected a commitment to distinctive storytelling and an authentic creative voice.
The chief minister also acknowledged producer Nancy Nisa Beso, executive producer Gaurav Dhingra, the cast and crew, and principal actors Anglong Konyak, Douglas Henshall, Sobino Rengma, Genpai Konyak, Wangton Konyak and Amah Konyak. He also recognised Adam Pietkiewicz, recipient of the TIFF Variety Artisan Award, for his contribution to the film.
Highlighting that several cast members were first-time actors from interior areas of Nagaland, particularly Mon district, Rio said their journey from Mon to an international film platform demonstrated that geography need not limit ambition. He also acknowledged the Konyak community for its resilience and growing contribution to the creative and cultural fields, particularly the achievements of young people from Eastern Nagaland.
On Angh’s journey towards Academy Awards consideration, Rio noted that although the film was not selected as India’s official submission, its international recognition and TIFF Platform Prize provided an independent pathway to eligibility for consideration in the International Feature Film category.
Rio said the achievement reflected the emergence of a new generation of young Nagas who were confident, creative, rooted in their identity and global in outlook. He urged young people to dream big while embracing discipline, patience, courage and perseverance.
“Today, we celebrate Theja, Team Angh, our Konyak brothers and sisters, and above all, the confidence, creativity and possibilities of a new generation of Naga youth,” he said.
Speaking at the programme, Theja Rio said his journey began with storytelling, which gradually developed from songs and short stories into screenplays and filmmaking. He said his conviction in the stories he wanted to tell eventually led him to become a director to translate his vision onto the screen.
He acknowledged Nancy Nisa Beso as one of his earliest guides and mentors and expressed gratitude for her continued support and encouragement.
Theja said 2019 marked a turning point when he made the short-film version of Angh, which helped him discover his artistic identity and gave him the confidence to root his work in Naga culture, history and people. Its international festival journey eventually encouraged him to develop it into a feature film.
After completing his Master’s in Directing Fiction at the National Film and Television School in the UK, he returned to India in 2024 to make his feature-film debut with Angh.
Expressing gratitude to the cast, crew, families, friends and communities that supported the production, Theja said making a film in Nagaland required more than resources—it required community. He particularly thanked the Konyak community for its guidance on language, costumes, architecture, customs and traditions, helping the team maintain authenticity.
He also acknowledged filmmakers who had paved the way before them and young Nagas aspiring to become writers, actors, cinematographers, editors and artists.
Theja expressed hope that Angh would contribute to a larger conversation on nurturing cinema in Nagaland, supporting artists and creating opportunities for future generations.
“Cinema is not merely entertainment; cinema is memory, and cinema is identity,” he said, adding that films could help Nagaland share its people, culture, struggles, resilience and dreams with the world through its own voices.
“If Angh has achieved anything, I hope it has shown that our voices matter, that our stories matter, and that no matter how small a place we occupy on the world map, its stories can still travel across oceans and touch people on the other side,” he said.
The programme was chaired by Orenthung Lotha, IAS, Secretary, Information & Public Relations, Nagaland, and began with a prayer by Dr. Mhalevilie Sote, Associate Pastor, Baptist Revival Church, Kohima.
Representatives of the Konyak Union, Naga Students’ Federation and Eastern Naga Students’ Federation, along with Kivini Shohe, former president and founding member of the Film Association of Nagaland, delivered short speeches.
IPR secretary Orenthung Lotha chaired the programme, while associate pastor of Baptist Revival Church Kohima, Dr. Mhalevilie Sote delivered the invocation and director IPR, Dzüvinuo Theünuo delivered the vote of thanks. The Tourism department, Art & Culture, Tanishq and Angami Public Organisation also felicitated Theja Rio. The event also featured presentations by TaFMA.