AGENT OF HAPPINESS
Directors: Arun Bhattarai and Dorottya Zurbó
Duration: 94 mins
Bhutan
Can you measure happiness? The country of Bhutan invented Gross National Happiness to do just that, and Amber is one of the agents who travels door to door to meet people and see how they feel. However he hasn’t gotten around to measuring his own happiness level. Still living with his mother at the age of 40, he’s nevertheless a hopeless romantic who dreams of finding love. But as one of the Nepali minority who were deprived of their citizenship, Amber isn’t the most eligible bachelor. We embark with Amber on his bittersweet journey to encounter Bhutanese from all walks of life. At the end of the road we are reminded of the fragility and beauty of our own happiness. No matter where we live.
Ade
Nagaland, India
Director: Theja Rio
Duration: 17 mins
Set in 2002, eight-year-old Ade resides in a Nagaland village with his mother, father, and brother. His father, a low-ranking constable, drowns his sorrows in alcohol, while his mother sells local rice beer to make ends meet.
One Sunday, Ade joins his best friend and partner in crime, Abu. Together, the boys skip Sunday school to swim in a nearby pond. Their plan, however, is disrupted when an adult chases them away.
With time to spare and no backup plan, the boys' curiosity leads them down a
path where they encounter the adult world for the first time.
Maimizial
Mizoram, India
Director: Raymond Colney
Duration: 15 mins
After a devastating loss, a grieving mother’s fragile world begins to unravel. One night spirals into a terrifying and surreal ordeal that blurs the line between reality and illusion, forcing her to confront her inner darkness and make a life altering choice.
IMPERMANENT RESIDENTS
Vietnam
Director: HUU-TUAN NGUYEN
Duration: 106 mins
Thang and Dinh Dinh, a young husband and wife, are about to leave for Winnipeg, Canada. With only a few hours left until departure, Dinh Dinh kindly agrees to babysit the neighbor's newborn baby. Shortly after that, Thang figures out that the baby had died...
On a fateful afternoon, a thrilling and heart-pounding incident occurs at an old apartment. Thang and Dinh Dinh must race to hide the baby's body and find the culprit who has led them to this predicament. Will they have enough time to depart and pursue their dream of becoming Permanent Residents in Canada?
KOK KOK KOKOOOK
Director: Maharshi Kashyap
Duration: 62 mins
Assam, India
A road accident killed a relative of a minister. Police is on lookout for a red RX100 motorcycle. A chicken seller, Siken, has a intimate connection with his red RX100 motorcycle – a shadow that defined his existence. Siken suddenly feels threatened to be an easy prey for the police. Being on the fringes as a Muslim illegal migrant, he is paranoid and decides to discard his beloved motorcycle. Meanwhile, a South-Sudanese migrant lady, Abebe, follows Siken everywhere wanting to make a baby with him. Siken's eyes remind her of her rebel lover, who is dead, and her lost country. Whereas Siken seems to have no interest in her. Siken starts missing the bike immensely, trying whatever he can to replace the thoughts of the motorcycle in his head, failing again and again. His grief and sadness haunt him and push him towards an unsettling dead end. Terrified, Siken distorts reality and struggles ghastly to be free.
BY THE HOME
Arunachal Pradesh, India
Director: Mankap Nokwoham
Duration: 24 mins
In the heart of Maharashtra, Phuro, a former militant from Arunachal Pradesh, has found a fragile peace working as a security guard on a vast estate bordering a dense, mysterious forest. Despite his turbulent past, Phuro has adapted to his new life, forming a fragile bond with his colleague Vasant and Vasant's girlfriend Binita, both from Maharashtra. However, this tranquility is shattered when Vasant inexplicably vanishes without a trace.
SHAPE OF MOMO
Sikkim, India
Director: Tribeny Rai
Duration: 115 mins
The story revolves around Bishnu and her multi-generational family of women navigating patriarchal norms, grappling with the decision to either adapt to or challenge these norms in pursuit of their goals. It is a poignant reflection on the complexities of identity and freedom within a traditional community.
HA LYNGKHA BNENG
The Elysian Field
Meghalaya, India
Director: Pradip Kurbah
Duration: 123 mins
The Elysian Field is a film that explores the profound beauty of human connection amidst the challenges of change. Set against the tranquil landscapes of 2047 in the East Khasi Hills, our story follows the journey of Livingstone and his fellow villagers as they navigate the complexities of loss, love, and resilience. At its heart, "The Elysian Field" is a testament to the enduring power of community. In a village where only six souls remain, the bonds of friendship become a lifeline, offering solace in the face of urban migration and loneliness. Through their shared experiences of grief and longing, our characters discover the true essence of human connection, finding strength in each other's company.
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Against the backdrop of nostalgia and hope, our narrative unfolds with a sense of poignancy and grace. Livingstone's journey aboard a vintage bus becomes a symbolic pilgrimage, a testament to the enduring love he carries for his late wife, Belinda. Alongside him, a cast of endearing characters emerges, each grappling with their own dreams and desires amidst the backdrop of loss.
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Through moments of triumph and adversity, our villagers stand as beacons of resilience, their collective spirit unyielding in the face of life's uncertainties. Their stories, woven together like a tapestry of human experience, resonate with the timeless truths of love, loss, and the enduring power of solidarity.
OUR HOME
Manipur, India
Director: Romi Meitei
Duration: 86 mins
Belonging to an isolated fishing community of the Loktak lake, Chaoren makes the best use of his exclusive existence by excelling in school. When the canoe he uses every day to attend school has to be sold off because of his father’s illness, his spirit is not dampened. He beats the long distance from his shanty floating hut to his school by swimming his way through. But when the Government issues an eviction notice demanding Chaoren’s family to leave their home, his dreams are left with an angst of a displaced person.
KA JINGSHEMPHANG
The Knowing
Meghalaya, India
Director: Tyrel Reuben Lyngdoh
Duration: 45 mins
Set in the hills of rural Meghalaya, Ka Jingshemphang (The Knowing) follows Baia, a quiet woman facing her husband’s worsening illness in a village with little access to healthcare. When a mysterious young girl arrives offering help, Baia’s life begins to shift. As ancient knowledge resurfaces and village tensions rise, the film explores the collision of faith, tradition, and identity — an homage to the unseen, the unspoken, and the healing power of inherited stories.
AHOR
Meghalaya, India
Director: Kenny Lyngdoh
Duration: 104 mins
Jeff (Hilarius Kharbihkhiew), a womaniser, discovers a beauty who seems impervious to his charm. It is revealed that Jeff and Da i (Deikisha Taalng) are not married to each other. However, as he continues to pursue the indifferent lady, he finds himself falling in love. When Da i suddenly goes missing, the police begin to investigate. An old man reveals the story to Jeff of how the little girl Grace ended up in his house. Jeff tries to reconnect with his daughter, Grace (Naudya Nongsiej). Then his worst fears become real when the organ trade mafia abduct Grace and her mother.
KA CHITHI
Meghalaya, India
Director: Simi Khongtiang
Duration: 107 mins
In a matrilineal society, Darika seeks answers about her family. Raised by grandparents and an unmarried uncle, she uncovers hidden letters, hoping they reveal the truth about her absent mother and silent father. Will these letters bring closure or deepen the complexity of her origins, sparking a journey of self-discovery?
NONGSHUN
Meghalaya, India
Director: Kamki Diengdoh and Elizer Bareh
Duration: 31 mins
In Shillong's recent past, discontentment erupted, fracturing its serene facade. Violence marred the once-peaceful city, claiming lives and enveloping it in despair. This fictional narrative draws inspiration from that tumultuous period, weaving a tale that echoes the struggles and challenges faced by the community during those trying times.
ROOTS RENEWED
Meghalaya, India
Directors: K. Mark Swer and Tarun Bhartiya
Duration: 65 mins
Produced with the support of the World Bank and documenting work carried out under the Meghalaya Community-Led Landscape Management Project, Roots Renewed is a documentary set across multiple locations in rural Meghalaya. The film charts intimate chapters from the lives of its rural inhabitants as communities work to restore their landscapes and revive traditional stewardship of the environment.
The documentary brings together the voices of farmers, women, youth, community leaders, field practitioners, and individuals across the Khasi, Jaintia, and Garo Hills regions of the state. Through their own words and actions, the film observes how communities respond to environmental stress, reviving traditional land practices, restoring forests and water systems, and adopting simple, sustainable solutions rooted in local knowledge, while aligning these efforts with institutionally supported initiatives.
Shot with minimal intervention and edited to preserve the natural rhythm of voices and moments recorded, Roots Renewed does not explain or instruct. Instead, it listens. By placing people and landscapes at the centre of the narrative, the film quietly documents a collective effort to care for land that sustains both livelihood and culture.
Patient in its pace, the documentary reflects on existing challenges and the gradual coming together of people’s emotions, perspectives, and actions as they move toward collective stewardship. Roots Renewed ultimately stands as a record of community-led change and the enduring relationship between people and their land.
TANG SHITENG POR
Meghalaya, India
Director: Cores Marwein
Duration: 81 mins
The film explores the life of Kong Zarina, the wife of Mr. Landro, who lives with their loving daughter, Lily. Zarina spends much of her time with a circle of friends who frequently engage in gossip, often planting seeds of doubt about her husband’s loyalty. They repeatedly suggest that because Landro is handsome and successful, he may one day leave her for another woman, causing Zarina to grow increasingly insecure and anxious.
Mr. Landro is a dedicated and hardworking businessman who employs many women in his office, yet he remains completely faithful to his wife. Despite his loyalty, rumors spread by Zarina’s friends convince her that he is involved in extramarital affairs. Without verifying the truth, Zarina makes a life-altering decision and begins an affair with Mr. Shan, her husband’s manager — a turning point that sets the central conflict in motion.
When Landro discovers the betrayal, he is deeply hurt and confronts Zarina. Instead of acknowledging her mistake, Zarina forces him out of the house and takes control of the family property, leaving him homeless and struggling to survive. Their daughter Lily is devastated and longs to see her father, but Zarina prevents contact and even files a case against him.
As the story unfolds, it is revealed that Mr. Shan had deliberately manipulated the situation to destroy Landro’s family. He kidnaps Lily and demands the property documents as ransom. Realizing the truth and the consequences of her actions, Zarina is overcome with remorse and sets out to save her daughter.
In the climax, Landro arrives to rescue Lily. During a violent confrontation, he is tragically shot and dies while protecting his child. The film concludes with Zarina and Lily mourning his loss, recognizing his unwavering love and sacrifice — a poignant ending captured in the sentiment of “Tang Shiteng Por.”
Deepa Didi
India
Directors: Surya Balakrishnan
Duration: 24 mins
In a small Mumbai apartment, Abhi, a 30-year-old from Meerut, lives a monotonous life marked by mostly by work and reliance on his house help, Deepa. She manages chores across several homes, finding brief solace in Abhi's empty apartment. However, weekends change the atmosphere; with Abhi at home, Deepa feels pressured to work quickly, and their interactions remain minimal, mostly limited to his instructions. The narrative explores five days of their lives within this confined space.
CHANCHISOA
Meghalaya, India
Director: Elvachisa Ch. Sangma and Dipankar Das
Duration: 29 mins
In a small village, a family strains under quiet imbalance, the father's work as a custodian farmer falls short of holding the household together, while the mother's steady efforts make her the pillar of survival, breeding tension and judgement from her side of the family. As their son dreams of a life beyond the confines of home, the weight of expectation and unspoken failures begins to close in on the father, pushing him toward a decision that will alter the course of their lives revealing the fragile balance between dignity, aspiration, and sacrifice.
Kñi
India
Directors: Kiki Garod
Duration: 92 mins
KÑI highlights the sacred matrilineal culture of the Khasi people, showing the importance of the role of the maternal uncle. He is the person who looks after the welfare of his nieces and nephews, especially during the times of their marriages, and if they stray onto wrong paths, he has the right to straighten them up. KÑI also shows that the maternal uncle has the responsibility to take care not only of his own children but also of his nephews and nieces, whether in times of prosperity or despair.