Manipur is all set to organize the Tribal Film Festival in Imphal from November 8, 2025, to November 11. The festival is arranged by the Tribal Research Institute (TRI) of Manipur, collaborating with the Tribal Affairs & Hills Department and the Manipur State Film Development Society (MSFDS).
Festival’s purpose & significance
The film festival will be in honour of the 150th birth anniversary of tribal leader Birsa Munda. It is an essential part of component of the national Janjatiya Gaurav Varsh celebrations. The festival is expected to bring out the talent of filmmaking in the tribal community. The film festival also looks forward to creating a space for intellectual discussion regarding tribal cinema.
Eligibility, format & call for participation
NortheastNews reported that TFM will be accepting fiction, documentary, and animation films, which may be both short and feature-length, submitted after January 1, 2020. The films must be in a tribal language, coupled with English subtitles, which is necessary for wider accessibility. The festival is non-competitive, concentrating more on visibility and exchange than awards. The submissions are invited with the help of digital links or files, along with standard film metadata. Important assistance in food and hospitality will be provided to selected participants. The last date for submission is marked at 20 October, and the selections will be announced by October 25.
Stakeholders & partnerships
The key partners include the Ministry of Tribal Affairs (GoI), TRI Manipur, MSFDS, and the Hills & Tribal Affairs Department of the state. The organising bodies look forward to broad geographic participation and attracting filmmakers from across tribal India.
Challenges & aspirations
While the festival holds promise, organisers may confront logistical challenges, including outreach to remote tribal areas, reaching representation across communities, and providing infrastructure support for filmmakers with limited technical resources. There is also the long-term task of converting this festival into a sustained annual event that can facilitate and fund tribal talent over time.
The launch of Tribal Frames Manipur will help the state become a new centre for indigenous cinema in India.