Iewduh, a Khasi language feature film by award-winning filmmaker Pradip Kurbah, has become the first film from Meghalaya to be premiered at Busan International Film Festival (BIFF).
The BIFF is one of the biggest film festivals in Asia.
The film was premiered on Saturday at the 24th edition of BIFF held in South Korea.
Filmmaker Kurbah said the film was able to connect the audience at the festival.
He said that the simplicity and honesty of the film have touched the cine buffs at the festival.
“It is indeed a great moment for us. I was pleasantly surprised to see the reaction of the people who watched my film. The simplicity and honesty of the film have really touched them,” two-time national award-winning filmmaker told Outlook.
The film, produced by Shankar Lall Goenka was screened in the ‘A Window on Asian Cinema’ segment along with some of the best films from the continent.
The BIFF which began on October 3 will continue till October 12.
‘Iewduh’, also known as Barabazar, is one of the oldest and largest traditional markets and trade centres in northeastern India.
The film depicts the daily lives of the people involved with the market in Shillong, and their coexistence with different religions and communities.
Kurbah said Iewduh is a film about everyday people, with everyday stories, not dignified as heroes but as people who make each other’s lives better.
“It’s about the struggle, the hope to give life not just to themselves, but also to those that they love, those that they care for. In Iewduh when reason ends, relationships begin,” he said.
The film will be premiered in India at the 21st Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival, towards the end of October this year.
For this film, Kurbah has also been nominated for the prestigious Kim Jiseok Award.
