Imphal, Oct 14: Veteran Manipuri filmmaker Aribam Syam Sharma has been honoured with the Golden Beaver Award at the India Film Festival of Alberta (IFFA) 2025, held at the Winspear Centre, Edmonton, on September 28. The award, shared with actor-director Kamal Haasan, was presented in recognition of their lasting contributions to Indian cinema.
Instituted this year, the Golden Beaver Award celebrates filmmakers whose work has shaped Indian cinema and amplified underrepresented voices. The 2025 edition of the festival placed a special focus on the Northeast, highlighting its rich artistic and cultural legacy.
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In his message to Sharma, IFFA Executive Director Madhan Selvaraj said the award acknowledges the filmmaker’s pioneering role in bringing the stories and cultural identity of the Northeast to wider audiences. “Your films have not only expanded the language of Indian cinema but have also given voice to a region and its people, inspiring generations of filmmakers,” Selvaraj said.
Accepting the award in absentia, Aribam Syam Sharma expressed gratitude and wished success to the festival, noting that ill health prevented him from attending. The award was received on his behalf by film historian and filmmaker Parthajit Baruah, and presented by Masakui Rungsung, Consul General of India in Vancouver.
Aribam Syam Sharma, whose acclaimed works such as Imagi Ningthem and Ishanou have brought Manipuri cinema international recognition, was lauded for his lifelong effort to portray the depth and beauty of Northeast India’s culture and people through film.
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The India Film Festival of Alberta, founded in 2015, has become a key platform for independent filmmakers from India, Canada, and beyond. This year’s theme, “Spotlight on Northeast India,” paid tribute to the icons, artists, and storytellers of the region.