Manipuri film 'Enoong Ngallamdai' explores hope amid conflict, premieres at Vancouver festival
A pregnant woman struggles to deliver her baby amid gunfire, a young boy searches for his mother with only a displaced calf for company, and a cafe owner risks her life to shelter people fleeing violence. These interwoven stories of survival and resilience form the heart of the Manipuri feature film "Enoong Ngallamdai" (Fireflies in the Dark), set against the backdrop of the ethnic violence that erupted in Manipur in 2023.
The 85-minute film had its world premiere at the 2026 Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF) on October 6, screening in the Panorama Cinemas of Asia programme.
Writer-director Yogesh Lohan said the project took shape after he travelled to Manipur and met survivors of the violence before writing the screenplay.
"I came to this project first as a screenwriter. Before writing a single scene, I travelled to Manipur and met survivors who had lost everything. What struck me was not only their pain and trauma, but the quiet, stubborn hope that still lived in their eyes. That hope became the heartbeat of the film," he said.
Shot at real locations across Manipur with the support of local communities, the film seeks to portray the human cost of conflict without losing sight of the determination to carry on, its makers said.
Lohan said the trust extended by local communities was reflected in the film's frames. Despite a world increasingly shaped by violence, division and unrest, he said, people continue to find reasons to hold on.
He described "Fireflies in the Dark" as a celebration of the belief that even the smallest light can find its way through darkness.
"The Vancouver screening was an emotional milestone. After everything we have gone through to bring this film to life, seeing it finally reach an audience feels incredibly special," he said.
Producer Jani Viswanath said the film uses fragmented, non-linear storytelling and intimate handheld cinematography to depict the conflict without aestheticising violence.
Rather than focusing only on the scale of the catastrophe, the film turns its attention to people at the margins and asks what it means to continue living when the world around them has come to a standstill, she said.
"A quiet but powerful reminder that hope, however flickering, always finds a way to endure," Viswanath said.
The film features Bala Hijam Ningthoujam, known for the BAFTA-winning Manipuri film "Boong", alongside Leishangthem Tonthoingambi Devi, Angom Pamdamba Singh, Aheibam Chiranjit, Luwang Yumlembam and Ratan Lai.
Several first-time actors from remote villages and refugee camps also feature in the film, bringing their lived experiences to the screen, the makers said.
Viswanath, whose credits include the multi-award-winning Assamese film "Xhoixobote Dhemalite" (Rainbow Fields), Bodo films "Jwlwi - The Seed" and "Gorai Phakri" (Wild Swans), and the Manipuri documentary "Andro Dreams", described the production as extremely challenging.
She said the film's larger message was that violence and conflict could never provide a lasting solution to tensions within communities.
"As a humanitarian, the main message I want to convey is that violence, conflict and chaos in any community anywhere in the world are never a solution to long-term peace. We need unity, positivity and harmony to sustain a habitable world," she said.
Ravi Ranjan Sharma served as director of photography, while Meena Longjam was the creative director. Amrit Pritam and Debajit Changmai handled sound design, Daniel B George composed the music and Tinni Mitra edited the film. Rajni Basumatary served as executive producer.
