Nine Hills One Valley

This article is about a Meitei language film. For the geographical features of the nine hills surrounding the Imphal Valley, see Geography of Manipur.

Nine Hills One Valley
Poster
Directed byHaobam Paban Kumar
Screenplay byHaobam Paban Kumar
Sankha
Story byHaobam Paban Kumar
Produced byWarepam Jhansirani
Haobam Paban Kumar
StarringAnam Ahum
CinematographyIrom Maipak
Ranjan Palit
Edited bySankha
Music bySukanta Majumdar
Production
company
Oli Pictures
Distributed byOli Pictures
Release date
  • January 2021 (2021-01) (Film Bazaar)
Running time
75 minutes
CountryIndia
LanguageManipuri & Tangkhul

Nine Hills One Valley is a 2021 Indian Manipuri-Tangkhul bilingual film conceptualized and directed by Haobam Paban Kumar.[1][2] It is produced by Warepam Jhansirani and Haobam Paban Kumar for Oli Pictures.[3][4] The movie was among 19 feature films selected for Film Bazaar Recommends (FBR) section of the Film Bazaar 2020.[5][6] It was premiered at the 16th Jogja-NETPAC Asian Film Festival 2021, Indonesia.[7]

The film was certified by Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) in 2020.[8]

Plot

The film centres around Ahum, a tribal from the hills who is going to Imphal city in the valley to meet his daughter. She is to leave for New Delhi in search of a job. During the course of the journey, he encounters different people and their stories, gradually exposing the cruelty of ethnic conflicts.

Cast

  • Shang Anam Ahum
  • Thanreingam Ngalung
  • Lakreiphi Ahum
  • Tennoson Pheiray
  • Agui Kamei
  • Aimol Villagers
  • Kharampu
  • Makhan Villagers
  • Borun Thokchom
  • Shananda Phurailatpam
  • Chongtham Belmond
  • Pao Neo Mate
  • Haobam Paban Kumar
  • Laishram Devakumar
  • Veinen Lhungdim

Accolades

Nine Hills One Valley received Special Mention Award in the Film Bazaar Recommends Section of the Film Bazaar 2020 held in January 2021.[9] The citation for the award reads, "A jury special mention goes to a film that aptly blurs the boundaries between fiction and documentary to embark on a journey through a landscape of many identities and conflicts. Through the journey of its protagonist and through the language of cinema, the director gives word to the unspoken and searches for a space of reconciliation. The special mention goes to Nine Hills One Valley by Haobam Paban Kumar".[10]

The film won 2 awards at the 14th Manipur State Film Awards 2022.[11]

Award Category Winner's name Result Ref.
Film Bazaar 2020 Special Mention Haobam Paban Kumar Won [12][13]
14th Manipur State Film Awards 2022 Best Audiography (Location sound recordist for sync sound films only) Laishram Devakumar Meitei Won [14]
Special Jury Award Haobam Paban Kumar Won
FIPRESCI India Grand Prix 2021 2nd Spot in Top 10 Haobam Paban Kumar Won [15]

Film festivals

Nine Hills One Valley has been selected for many international film festivals in India and abroad.[16]

  • 16th Jogja-NETPAC Asian Film Festival 2021, Indonesia[17]
  • 5th Ottawa Indian Film Festival Awards (OIFFA) 2022, Canada[18]
  • 27th Kolkata International Film Festival 2022 (Asian Select Category)[19]
  • 22nd Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival 2022 (India Gold section)[20]
  • 1st International Tribal Film Festival (ITFF) 2022, Arunachal Pradesh[21]
  • 1st Eikhoigi Imphal International Film Festival 2022, Manipur[22][23]
  • 13th Indian Film Festival of Melbourne 2022[24]
  • 44th Moscow International Festival 2022
  • 13th Annual Chicago South Asian Film Festival (CSAFF) 2022
  • 15th International Film Festival East & West 2022, Orenburg, Russia
  • 12th Indian Film Festival of Bhubaneswar 2023

References

  1. ^ "Nine Hills, One Valley wins special mention award in NFDC's Film Bazaar Another feather in the cap for Paban Kumar". The Sangai Express. 23 January 2021. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
  2. ^ "Nine Hills One Valley testimony of brutishness of ethnic clash". themorningbell.in. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
  3. ^ "20 Films to Watch-out for in 2021 from India". kazimi.medium.com. 24 December 2020. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
  4. ^ Ninglun Hanghal. "Chasing peace in Manipur: Haobam's film 'Nine Hills One Valley'". www.eastmojo.com. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
  5. ^ "Haobam Paban Kumar's "Nine Hills One Valley" wins Special Mention Award in NFDC's Film Bazaar 2020". Imphal Times.
  6. ^ "Award For Manipuri Feature Film". assamtribune.com. 25 January 2021. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
  7. ^ "Manipur : Filmmaker Paban Kumar's 2nd Narrative Feature "Nine Hills One Valley" To Premiere At Jogja-NETPAC Asian Film Festival 2021". www.northeasttoday.in. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
  8. ^ "List of feature films certified from 01-01-2020 to 31-12-2020 - CBFC" (PDF). www.cbfcindia.gov.in. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
  9. ^ "Manipuri Film Received Special Award". www.newsner.in. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
  10. ^ "Paka: The River Of Blood, Ambush win WIP awards at India's Film Bazaar". www.screendaily.com. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
  11. ^ "14th Manipur State Film Award, 2022 Winners announced". e-pao.net. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
  12. ^ "Nine Hills, One Valley wins special mention award in NFDC's Film Bazaar Another feather in the cap for Paban Kumar". www.manipur.org. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
  13. ^ "River of Blood, Ambush, Today Me Tomorrow You Win Top Prizes at India's Film Bazaar". variety.com. 21 January 2021. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
  14. ^ "14th Manipur State Film Award: Romi Meitei's 'Eikhoigi Yum' Wins Best Feature Film, Bishesh Huirem Wins Best Actor (Transgender)". hynews.in. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
  15. ^ The Sangai Express. "Paban Kumar's Nine Hills One Valley bags second spot in Top-10". e-pao.net. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
  16. ^ "Haobam Paban Kumar's 'Nine Hills One Valley' selected for international film festivals". e-pao.net. Retrieved 17 August 2022.
  17. ^ "Indonesia film fest platform for Manipur movie-maker". Timed of India. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
  18. ^ "Manipuri film to compete in Ottawa film festival". www.uniindia.com. Retrieved 11 June 2022.
  19. ^ "Nine Hills One Valley of Paban selected for competition in Kolkata Film Festival". www.uniindia.com. Retrieved 28 December 2021.
  20. ^ "Haobam Paban Kumar's Nine Hills One Valley to vie for Golden Gateway Award in Jio Mami Mumbai Film Festival 2022". Imphal Times. Retrieved 19 February 2022.
  21. ^ "Two-day long International Tribal Film Festival begins its maiden showcase in Dirang". The Economic Times. Retrieved 8 March 2022.
  22. ^ "First-ever international film festival begins in Manipur". www.thestatesman.com. 5 April 2022. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
  23. ^ Singh, Bikash. "Manipur's five-days Eikhoigi Imphal International Film Festival to start from April 2". The Economic Times. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
  24. ^ "Haobam Paban Kumar's 'Nine Hills, One Valley' to travel to Moscow". Imphal Free Press. Retrieved 22 August 2022.