Imphal: Manipuri short film Toy Gun won the Best Short Feature Film – North-East India award at the 10th Chalachitram National Film Festival (CNFF 2026), which concluded at Jyoti Chitraban Film Studio in Kahilipara on Sunday.
The two-day festival, held under the theme “Our Heritage, Our Pride”, celebrated films that explore cultural identity, heritage and regional narratives.
Running for 14 minutes and 55 seconds, Toy Gun marks the directorial debut of Thingnam Parshuram, recipient of the Sahitya Akademi Yuva Puraskar in 2023.
The film explores the psychological and emotional toll of conflict through the experiences of a widowed mother and her young son. The story takes a poignant turn when the child asks for a toy gun, triggering painful memories of real-life violence for his mother.
Produced by Kh Omeshwori under the banner of Freedom Ekon & Farm House Production, the film features Leishangthem Tonthoi, Thingnam Parihanba and Irengbam Premananda. Its musical score has been composed by Akhu Chingangbam.
The latest recognition adds to the film’s growing list of festival achievements. In March 2026, Toy Gun won the Best Non-Feature Film award at the third North East India Film Festival, where it was also screened as the closing film.
The production was also named first runner-up at the Hyderabad International Short Film Festival 2025.
In addition, Toy Gun has secured competitive selections at several film festivals, including the 16th Bengaluru International Short Film Festival (BISFF) 2026, which qualifies for the Oscars, the 14th Jagran Film Festival 2026 and the 18th SIGNS Kerala Festival.
The film’s latest award highlights the growing visibility of Manipuri cinema and its engagement with themes of conflict, memory and the human cost of violence.