Guwahati, Even in the darkest times, stories of hope endure, and the Manipuri feature film ‘Enoong Ngallamdai’ , set against the backdrop of years of conflict in the northeastern state, seeks to portray that.
The movie, which premiered at the Vancouver International Film Festival, explores survival, resilience and the human cost of conflict through three interwoven stories set during the ethnic violence that erupted in Manipur in 2023, the makers said. The 85-minute film premiered at the 2026 Vancouver International Film Festival on October 6 and was screened as part of the Panorama Cinemas of Asia lineup.
Writer-director of the film Yogesh Lohan said his journey began with meeting survivors in Manipur. The film was shot across real locations in Manipur with the trust and support of local communities, Lohan said. The director said that ‘Fireflies in the Dark’ is a celebration of the instinct and belief that light, however small, will always find a way through. Producer Jani Viswanath said the movie uses fragmented, non-linear storytelling and intimate handheld photography to portray the conflict without aestheticising violence. The film also features several first-time actors from remote villages and refugee camps, the makers said. Viswanath, whose filmography includes the multi-award-winning Assamese film ‘Xhoixobote Dhemalite’ , Bodo films ‘Jwlwi – The Seed’ and ‘Gorai Phakri’ , and the Manipuri documentary ‘Andro Dreams’, said the production was extremely challenging.
