Boong wins Bafta for film from Manipur

Lakshmipriya Devi’s Manipuri-language debut Boong won the Bafta for Best Children’s & Family Film, the first Indian film to win that category, and Devi used her acceptance speech to call for peace for Manipur.

Lakshmipriya Devi’s debut feature Boong, made in the Manipuri language, won the Bafta for Best Children’s & Family Film. The award marks the first time an Indian film has taken that category. Boong was filmed before the 2023 violence in Manipur and tells a coming-of-age story through a child’s eyes. Devi used her moment on the Bafta stage to speak about peace and forgiveness for her home state. Key facts: - Boong won the Bafta for Best Children’s & Family Film, beating international contenders including Zootopia 2 and Lilo & Stitch. - The film is the first Indian entry to win in this Bafta category. - Boong is a Manipuri-language coming-of-age film about Brojendro “Boong” Singh, a schoolboy who searches for his missing father; the role is played by 12-year-old Gugun Kipgen. - The film was completed before the May 2023 outbreak of ethnic violence in Manipur, which has been reported to cause deaths and large-scale displacement. - Devi’s acceptance speech included a public call for peace and a wish that internally displaced children, including the film’s young actors, regain their joy and innocence. - Boong had a limited release in India and screened at international festivals after its premiere in the Toronto International Film Festival’s Discovery section; it was produced with support from Excel Entertainment. Summary: The Bafta recognition has brought wider visibility to a film rooted in Manipur and to stories from India’s northeast, and it prompted public congratulations from national and state leaders. How this international attention will affect the film’s distribution or the situation in Manipur is undetermined at this time.