"Joseph's Son," Haobam Paban Kumar's third Manipuri-language narrative feature, is back in the spotlight following its nomination among 14 other films for the 2023 Alternativa Film Awards in Kazakhstan.
On December 2, in Almaty, Kazakhstan, there will be an awards ceremony to announce the winners.
An essential component of the Alternativa Film Project, which is led by the international tech corporation Drive in Kazakhstan, are the Alternativa Film Awards. A group of specialists, comprising Asian culture journalists, directors, producers, cinema critics, and festival curators, carefully chosen each film.
The Alternativa Film Awards give equal weight to each award, with a $20,000 cash prize awarded in each category. Future Voice, Spotlight, Alter, Nativa, and Short Awards are the categories that honor filmmakers who are expected to have a significant impact on society and the cinema industry. They also highlight important but often ignored subjects, tackle urgent social issues, and honor films that explore national or cultural identity.
The Alternativa Film Awards offer a novel approach to honoring international professionals and offer a forum for experience sharing. It recognizes motion pictures that appeal to a broad audience and effect positive change in the globe and society. Its goals are to uncover bold, fresh, and unheard voices and give them a global platform, to help filmmakers in need by connecting them with other international filmmakers and giving resources, and to fortify the bonds that unite film and social change.
"Joseph's Son," directed by Haobam Paban Kumar, had its international premiere in the main competition section of the 25th Shanghai International Film Festival in June 2023. The National Film Development Corporation and Oli Pictures, Imphal, are the co-producers of the movie.
The primary character is Mashangva Guru Rewben. The movie, which is in Manipuri, is spoken in Thadou Kuki, Rongmei, Meitei, and Tangkhul. In the movie, there are a variety of characters from many communities, including Bihari, Meitei, Thadou Kuki, Rongmei, and Tangkhul.
The movie has a lot to say about the current ethnic conflict situation in Manipur. Reluctantly, the musician Joseph embarks on the arduous quest to find his kid who has vanished. As he continues to journey, his terror intensifies. It is a fear derived from ongoing conflict, both past and current, to which a personal fear is added.
"As a storyteller, it's very important that my films reflect my contemporary realities," stated Paban Kumar. There are thirty-five distinct tribes and sub-tribes in Manipur, each with its own language, customs, and culture. There is currently a great deal of ethnic conflict in Manipur as different groups fight for their identity, territory, and forests. This is a tale of the dread and uncertainty felt by residents of areas split by ethnic conflict and insurgency for many years.
.jpg)
