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Battlefield: World War II battle documentary in Imphal premiered at IIFI Goa
The 80-minute documentary film was officially selected in the non-feature section of Indian Panorama of 56th IFFI 2025
A documentary film on untold stories of the second World War’s Imphal battle was premiered at the ongoing 56th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) 2025 in Goa.
Manipur’s filmmaker Borun Thokchom’s documentary called Battlefield - an exploration of the untold stories of the Imphal battle that saw one of the fiercest fighting of World War II, had secured a spot in the feature section of the 56th IFFI 2025.
The 80-minute documentary film was officially selected in the non-feature section of Indian Panorama of 56th IFFI 2025, which marks a significant milestone for Manipuri cinema, was produced by Manjoy Lourembam,Dr Radheshyam Oinam and Viswamithra Universals.
Battlefield — shot over ten years — is an evocative documentation of the WWII battlefields of Manipur, featuring prominent war researcher Rajeshwor Yumnam and renowned writer Late Khuraijam Nimaicharan Singh.
The Battle of Imphal fought between the Allied Forces and the Japanese Army in 1944, remains one of the most decisive turning points of WWII in the Asia continent.
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It captures the enduring impact of the war on human lives and juxtaposes global commemoration of war heroes with the silence surrounding contemporary humanitarian suffering in Manipur.
“Described as a powerful cinematic reflection, “Battlefield” illuminates the enduring wounds of WWII in Manipur through survivors’ voices and lived memories,” a press release mentioned.
“It also confronts the poignant contrast between grand wartime commemorations abroad and the silence surrounding Manipur’s present humanitarian struggles”, the release added.
Borun’s previous documentary film called “I Rise” based on the ups and downs of the life of the boxing champion Laishram Sarita Devi was awarded as the Best Documentary film on Sports in 13th Manipur State Film Awards, 2020.
“Every family in Manipur has our own stories of WWII, so documenting it for future generations,” Borun had said.
“It’s a great honour to be here at 56 IFFI. Borun has made a great film. He has immortalized what we have been doing for the last 15 years,” says war researcher Rajeshwar Yumnam who is part of the documentary.
