Imphal, Dec 28 (Agency) Haobam Paban Kumar’s second narrative feature in Manipuri and Tangkhul language- Nine Hills One Valley has been selected for competition in the Asian Select Category of the 27th Kolkata International Film Festival 2022 to be held from January 7 to 14 in Kolkata. Nine Hills One Valley will vie for NETPAC (Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema) Award with seven Asian films namely Ajob Karkhana (Bangladesh) directed by Shabnam Ferdousi, Kalkokkho (India) by Rajdeep Paul and Sarmistha Maiti, Thou’lt Look Back No More; Never, Never, Never, Never, Never (Japan) by Takushi Ueta, Ming Kiyal (Kyrgyzstan) by Marat Saralu, Co Gai Den Tu Dak Lak (Vietnam) by Pedro Roman and Mai Huyenchi, Baagh (India) by Sourish Dey and Manikbabur Megh (India) by Abhinandan Banerjee said Meghachandra Kongbam, President, Film Society of Manipur.
The film had its world premiere at Jogja-NETPAC Asian Film Festival 2021 held from November 27 to December 4 at Yogyakarta in Indonesia. Nine Hills One Valley is about Anam Ahum, a Tangkhul Naga from the hills, who travels to Imphal city in the valley in order to meet his daughter before she leaves for New Delhi in search of a job. During the course of the journey, he encounters different people and their stories, making us witness to the brutishness of ethnic conflicts. Anam Ahum is the main protagonist of the 75–minute long film- Nine Hills One Valley produced by Warepam Jhansirani and Haobam Paban Kumar for Oli Pictures. National Film Awardee Irom Maipak and Ranjan Palit are cameramen. Sound is done by Sukanta Majumdar and Editing by Sankha and Story, Screenplay and Direction by Haobam Paban Kumar. Paban Kumar’s debut feature- Loktak Lairembee won the Best Film for NETPAC Award in the 22th Kolkata International Film Festival 2016.