Ishanou (1991)
4K RESTORATION — Australian Premiere
“I was just mesmerized by the poignancy of the story of a mother torn between her family and the call of the divine. I was determined that Ishanou must be restored to its former glory and that the world should be reminded of a filmmaker who had put Manipuri filmmaking on the world map” – Shivendra Singh Dungarpur, director Film Heritage Foundation (Mumbai)
Tampha is living a quiet, normal life with her husband and daughter in a Manipuri valley in North-Eastern India when she suddenly starts talking to flowers, singing strange songs, having dizzy spells and wandering alone at night. After attempts to diagnose her condition, her mother and her husband finally realize she is The Chosen One (Inshanou). Called by a deity to join a Maibi sect of princesses, she becomes absorbed into a beautiful, mystical and spiritual world of expert singers and dancers – preservers of ancient oral religious traditions. Screened at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival, Aribam Syam Sharma’s poignant and celebrated insight into Maibi culture has been restored in 4K by the Film Heritage Foundation (Mumbai) at L’Immagine Ritrovato (Bologna) and by Prasad (Chennai).
Introduced by Shivendra Singh Dungarpur via video at Ritz Cinemas and Lido Cinemas.
“Lyrically narrated, Ishanou has traces of Satyajit Ray’s Devi in its exploration of the collision of faith and rationality.” - Scroll.in
“This female dominance in the religious functionary is a unique characteristic of Meitei culture…the film’s rejection of domesticity and other traditional intensive mothering ideologies can be seen as subversive motherhood.” - Johnson Rajkumar
“It has been a journey of discovery to work with The Film Heritage Foundation and to see my film restored so beautifully and respectfully, and given a new life after over thirty years.” - Aribam Syam Sharma
Rating
Unclassified 15+
Duration
94 min
Language
Manipuri (English subtitles)
Cast
Anoubam Kiranmala, Kangabam Tomba, Soraisam Dhiren
Director
Aribam Syam Sharma
