Writer and director, Theja Rio along with this team were felicitated on Wednesday for the film Angh, which received the Platform Prize at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) 2026, in recognition of its artistic merit and distinctive storytelling.

The felicitation programme was held at the State Banquet Hall, CMRC, Kohima, and was hosted by Kaisa Rio and Nagaland Chief Minister, Neiphiu Rio.

Addressing the gathering, Chief Minister, Neiphiu Rio described the achievement as a moment of pride for the Naga community and a significant milestone for Nagaland and Indian cinema.

The Chief Minister highlighted that Angh is Theja Rio’s debut feature film and was the only Indian film selected for the Platform Competition at TIFF 2026, where it competed alongside 11 other films from across the world.

He said the selection of a debut feature for such an international competition was itself a significant achievement, while the subsequent Platform Prize represented further recognition of the film’s artistic merit, the director’s vision and distinctive storytelling.

Rio further noted that the significance of the achievement extended beyond the award itself, as Theja had chosen to tell a story rooted in Nagaland’s own history, culture and people.

He added that the international recognition demonstrated that a story emerging from Nagaland could connect with audiences beyond the region and receive recognition on a global platform.

The Chief Minister mentioned that the making of Angh was a collective effort involving its producers, cast, crew, technicians and others who contributed to bringing the film to the screen.

Rio further highlighted Theja Rio’s earlier works which included Remains, a British post-colonial horror short film released in 2024 and screened at BAFTA- and BIFA-qualifying festivals, including the Cambridge International Film Festival and Camerimage. His other 2024 short film, Ade (On a Sunday), premiered at the International Film Festival Rotterdam, was screened at IndieLisboa and the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles, and won Best Film in the Royal Stag Barrel Select Shorts category at the MAMI Mumbai Film Festival.

The Chief Minister said these achievements reflected Rio’s commitment to distinctive storytelling and an authentic voice, while noting that Angh’s international recognition could open new opportunities for Naga cinema and young storytellers.

He also acknowledged producer Nancy Nisa Beso and executive producer Gaurav Dhingra for their contribution to bringing Angh to an international audience.

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Appreciation was extended to the cast, including Anglong Konyak, Douglas Henshall, Sobino Rengma, Genpai Konyak, Wangton Konyak and Amah Konyak, as well as the wider creative and technical team.

Special mention was made of Adam Pietkiewicz, who received the TIFF Variety Artisan Award for his work on Angh. The Chief Minister said the recognition reflected the collective craftsmanship and dedication behind the film, adding that every individual involved in Angh shared in the achievement.

The Chief Minister highlighted the organic nature of Angh, noting that most of its cast are first-time actors from interior areas of Nagaland, particularly Mon district.

He said their journey from Mon to the Toronto International Film Festival demonstrated that opportunities in global cinema should not be limited by one’s place of origin.

Describing Angh as a reflection of the Konyak people and the landscape of Mon, Rio acknowledged the community’s resilience in overcoming challenges related to infrastructure, connectivity, opportunities and access to services.

On the film’s Oscar journey, he said Angh was considered in the process for India’s official Academy Awards submission, although another film was eventually selected. However, following its international recognition and Platform Prize at TIFF, Angh earned an independent pathway to eligibility for consideration in the International Feature Film category at the Academy Awards.

He clarified that eligibility does not amount to an Oscar nomination, with further stages remaining, but said the film had already taken Naga cinema to an unprecedented international platform.

Calling the achievement an example of Nagaland’s growing “soft power,” Rio said Angh demonstrated that Naga filmmakers could take stories rooted in their own culture and experiences to global audiences.

He urged young people not to be limited by their place of origin and stressed the importance of talent, discipline, patience, courage and perseverance, while affirming the government’s responsibility to create opportunities in cinema, music, arts, culture, sports, entrepreneurship and innovation.

Speaking at the felicitation programme , Writer / Director Theja Rio said storytelling had been part of his life from an early age, eventually leading him from writing songs and short stories to screenplays and filmmaking.

He said his conviction in the stories he wanted to tell eventually made him realise that he wanted to become a director so that he could translate his own vision to the screen.

Rio acknowledged producer Nancy Nisa Beso, whom he has known since childhood, for becoming one of his earliest guides, mentors and champions in filmmaking.

Reflecting on his filmmaking career, Rio said he began filmmaking in Delhi and attended cinema campuses in Italy in 2015, 2018 and 2019, where he made short films alongside filmmakers from different parts of the world.

However, he said he continued returning to Nagaland to make films, with 2019 becoming a turning point when he made the short-film version of Angh.

The short film’s international festival screenings and recognition gave him confidence that Naga stories deserved to be told on a larger canvas, eventually leading him to develop the feature-length Angh.

Following the pandemic, Rio was accepted into the National Film and Television School (NFTS) in the UK, where he completed a master’s degree in Directing Fiction. He returned to India in 2024 with the aim of making Angh as his debut feature film.

Rio also highlighted the contribution of the film’s cast and the many people who supported the production, saying the film could not have been made without the community’s involvement.

“Making a film in Nagaland requires something beyond resources. It requires community,” he said, acknowledging families, friends and local residents who provided food, accommodation, transportation, props, locations, costumes and other assistance.

He expressed particular gratitude to the Konyak community, saying members had guided the team from the beginning. The Konyak literature body reviewed and translated the script, while community members advised the team on language, costumes, architecture, customs and traditions and helped construct the village set to ensure authenticity.

Rio said he hoped Angh would not simply be remembered as an award-winning film, but would contribute to a broader conversation on nurturing cinema in Nagaland, supporting artists and creating opportunities for future generations.

“Cinema is not merely entertainment, cinema is memory, and cinema is identity,” he said, adding that films from Nagaland carry its people, culture, struggles, resilience and dreams to audiences around the world.

He said Angh had demonstrated that stories from even a small place on the world map could travel across oceans and reach audiences through the voices of its own people.

The programme was chaired by Orenthung Lotha, IAS, Secretary, Information & Public Relations (IPR), Nagaland, and began with a prayer by Dr Mhalevilie Sote, Associate Pastor, Baptist Revival Church, Kohima.

Short speeches were delivered by representatives of the Konyak Union, Naga Students’ Federation (NSF), Eastern Naga Students’ Federation (ENSF) and Kivini Shohe, former president and founding member of the Film Association of Nagaland.

A musical presentation was also made by the Task Force for Music & Arts, followed by a special segment titled “Theja Rio – The Man Behind the Lens.”

Theja Rio was felicitated by the Department of Art & Culture, Department of Tourism, Department of Youth Resources & Sports and Angami Public Organisation.

The event also featured the felicitation of the director, cast and crew of Angh, followed by a screening of the film’s trailer.

The programme concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by Dzüvinuo Theünuo, Director, IPR.