Curtains will be raised for the Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF) with the screening of the documentary film from Manipur- ‘Meiram-The Fireline’. The 33 minute film on forest conservation at the Punsilok area of Langol hills in Manipur is included in the ‘National Prism’ package of MIFF 2022.

‘Meiram-The Fireline’ narrates the revolutionary environmental movement initiated by Moirangthem Loiya at Langol hills for forest conservation. Moirangthem Loiya along with a group of his friends rejuvenated a 300 acre forest through dedicated replantation and preservation work in a span of 18 years. The particular focus of the film is on a strategy of using controlled fire to clear narrow strips of shrubs and grass in the periphery of a forest in order to prevent wild forest fires from spreading and consuming the rest of the forest.

The film is directed by James Khangembam who also handles the camera. Apart from ‘Meiram-The Fireline’, there are two more documentaries from Manipur. The documentary film ‘50 years of Manipuri Cinema: A glimpse’ chronicles the history of fifty years of cinema in Manipur while the other one – ‘Manipur Mindscapes’ is an attempt to encompass the resilience of the Manipuri people.

In a facebook post, James wrote ‘I am screening my film Meiram – The Fireline’ to the public for the first time at 17th Edition of Mumbai International Film Festival. In the film world it is termed as Premiere, specifically World premiere for my film.I am so glad that my film finds its place at the prestigious film festival.

It took me five years to complete the film. Human, trees, plants, birds, ants, snakes, cicadas, dog, water stream, wind, night, morning etc are some of the characters in my film’.

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