BAFTA-winning director Lakshmipriya Devi reflects on making Boong.

Lakshmipriya Devi won a BAFTA for Best Children's and Family Film for her Manipuri-language film Boong, which draws on childhood memories and has become linked to displacement in Manipur following unrest in 2023.

Lakshmipriya Devi accepted a BAFTA for Best Children's and Family Film for Boong, a Manipuri-language coming-of-age drama she wrote from childhood memories. The win came after a long personal journey that included leaving routine assistant-directing work in Hindi cinema, writing during a period of caregiving, and finding unexpected production backing. Boong premiered at festivals including Toronto in 2024 and had limited theatrical runs in India and parts of the UK. After production, unrest in Manipur in May 2023 led to widespread displacement that affected many people connected to the film. Key facts: - Lakshmipriya Devi won a BAFTA for Best Children's and Family Film for Boong. - Boong is a Manipuri-language coming-of-age drama drawn from Devi's childhood and described by her as an "urban folktale." - Violence in Manipur in May 2023 led to widespread displacement, and several child actors from the film were among the internally displaced. - The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2024 and had limited releases; Devi credited a small crew and an economical approach and highlighted young actor Gugun Kipgen learning Meitei for the role. Summary: Devi's BAFTA win has amplified attention to Boong and to the issues surrounding displacement in Manipur that intersect with the film's subject matter. The film has festival exposure and limited releases, and whether it will receive a wider re-release is undetermined at this time.