The three-day Nagaland CineFest 2025 culminated on December 8, 2025 featuring a series of master classes, discussions and film screenings. The Valedictory session of the Nagaland CineFest 2025 was graced by Advisor to Chief Minister and Chairman, IDAN, Abu Metha as the special guest.
Metha at the outset commended the Department of Information & Public Relations for organizing the Nagaland CineFest 2025 and acknowledged that the Department has been of late doing exceptional work, emerging as one of the most vibrant departments, expanding into new verticals that are not only the norm and the usual but is giving opportunity to creativity, innovation and most importantly to storytelling.
Metha emphasized the need to make stories from Nagaland known to the world and express our aspirations, our cry for honour and respect, our call for genuine peace and a lasting solution through stories, books, films and contents and not through violent means. He commended Dreamz Unlimited team for their contribution to the film industry in Nagaland and for being an excellent ambassador for Nagaland and its people.
He urged all creative artists and innovators across various platforms and arts to tell the stories of Nagaland and their way of life, and to showcase Nagaland through their creativity and hardwork. He further highlighted the power of social media and the modern information technology, and encouraged all innovators to make good use of all the tools of modern technology to further their journey as creators and innovators.
Metha also called upon the organizers to put effort to make the Nagaland CineFest a national and global event in the years to come and to give more opportunities to the storytellers and film makers to reach out at the highest levels. He mentioned that the State’s creative economy is gradually growing, and is one of the best in the Northeast and hoped that this is just the beginning of a long and fruitful journey for filmmakers and storytellers of the state.
Director IPR, Dzüvinuo Theünuo in her welcome address expressed that it was an honour and privilege for the Department to host the Nagaland CineFest 2025 while also acknowledging the support of National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) under the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Government of India. She also underscored the support and encouragement received from the Government of Nagaland led by the Chief Secretary who in his message said that the Government remains committed to creating opportunities for the youth to learn and innovate in the field of Cinema.
She gave a brief recap of the three-day festival saying that it had been an enriching experience and further added that the Nagaland CineFest is a celebration of Films, creativity and cultural expression. The CineFest, she said had been conceived as a platform to promote cinematic talent and encourage local story tellers and aimed at fostering a wider appreciation of cinema as a medium of art, education and social reflection.
The day began with Masterclass on Film Appreciation by Writer-Director, Niyaz Mujawar, followed by masterclass on Smartphone filmmaking conducted by Filmmaker and Strategist, Adarsh Jain. In the afternoon, the film “The Missing Tourist” produced by Dreamz Unlimited and DIPR was screened.
Earlier, Special Jury Award was presented to Kivini Shohe, in recognition of her contribution and dedication to films.
The results of the HIPFEST 2025, under the theme ‘Seasons of Nagaland’ were also declared, where a total of 97 photographers participated and 264 competition photos were displayed. Awards were presented to the winners, Pelevizo Meyase, Tshetsholo Naro and Asakho Chase who won the first, second and third respectively. In the category section, Avimanyu Banerjee won the Best Portrait, Moasunep Pongen, the Best Landscape and Atam Wangsa, the Best Wildlife.
(Siizo Kikhi, IA)
