The much-anticipated results of the Binge Box Short Film Contest 2025 were declared during a celebratory awards ceremony held at Hotel Saramati, Dimapur, on Saturday. The contest was organized by Binge Box, Northeast India’s OTT platform, to promote and celebrate emerging filmmaking talents from the region.
The event was graced by Film Association of Nagaland, president, Yapangnaro Longkumer, as the guest of honour. In her address, Longkumer, stated that while Nagaland was once considered to be in its nascent stage of filmmaking, she however claimed that the state has now reached a pivotal juncture. She emphasized that filmmakers and content creators should take advantage of platforms such as Binge Box which not only promote regional content but also offer tangible rewards.
Reflecting on the progress made, Longkumer shared that filmmakers in the past had to rely on professionals from outside the state for camera work, editing, story writing, and more.
However, she expressed joy that, in the present context, everything is now being done right here in Nagaland. “We have all the talent and resources,” she exclaimed.
Encouraging aspiring filmmakers to think beyond passion, Longkumer urged them to consider the monetization of their skills.
“What is the use of our skills if we cannot support our families?” she posed. She also stressed the value of hard work and encouraged creators to participate in film festivals.
Longkumer also urged creators to send their works to film festivals, highlighting that while money is important, earning a name and recognition was also equally valuable. She later expressed her willingness to share/tutor any budding individual interested to be in the film making/film industry.
Delivering a message on behalf of the jury and announcing the winners, director of Dreamz Unlimited, Tiakumzuk Aier, shared that the open-themed contest received an overwhelming response spanning a wide range of genres due to its open theme with over 70–80 registrations, out of which 32 films were shortlisted. He praised the diversity of entries and expressed the jury’s excitement and appreciation for the creativity shown by the participants.
Winner, runners-up, and second runners-up walked away with a cash prize of Rs. 1,00,000, Rs. 50,000, and Rs. 30,000, respectively, while the best male and female actor won a cash prize of Rs. 10,000 each. After the ceremony, Binge Box also announced a contest on “Feature films”.
Winner: Tapen Natam for “Blood and Rain” (Arunachal Pradesh-based)
Runner-up: Pinnacle Unscripted for “Kon Jani”
Second Runner-up: Naga Brothers for “When the Earth Remembers”
Best Male Actor: Anyutho Nyuthe, starring in “Kon Jani”
Best Female Actor: Yangerkumla Lemtur, starring in “Silence of the Heartbeat”