Beyond the Trials a documentary film project on extreme sport as an expression of freedom by Khaba Maimon was conferred the Best Project bagging the highest carry an award of Rs. 2.5 lakhs, On the Crossroad on the issues confronting the State regarding the transition from the Bengali script to Meitei Mayek by James Khangenbam and Battlefield Imphal were conferred the Promisingly Culturally engaged project and Promisingly Socially engaged project respectively with cash awards of Rs 1.5 lakhs each. Five other documentary film projects – Andro Dreams (Meena Longjam), Anonymous Dance (Tushar Nongthombam), Eche Sharmila (Manoj Kshetrimayum), Bidyapati –The Lady Everest Summiter (Paonam Birjeet) and We are the Water (Grace Rephung L) were also conferred project development cash awards carrying Rs 50 thousand each.
The entrepreneurs who jointly supported the projects are Dr. Thangjam Dhabali, Wahengbam Braja, Konica Khuraijam, and Radhesyam Oinam.
Manipur State Film Development Society (MSFDS) stated this is for the very first time in the history of documentary film finance in the country where local entrepreneurs who have no technical film background have come forward in support of the local documentary filmmakers, to help realize their dream documentary projects by committing Rs 8 lakhs to realize the documentary films developed during the 5-day Incubation & Mentorship Lab called Documentor Imphal, jointly organized by MSFDS and DRI Kolkata. Four acclaimed documentary film mentors from India were behind shaping of the documentary projects where eight documentary film projects and 8 observers took part.
