GUWAHATI: Meghalaya filmmaker Pradip Kurbah, whose Khasi language film Iewduh is all set for its world premiere at the 24th edition of the prestigious Busan International Film Festival, has also been nominated for the Kim Jiseok Award.

The film’s cinematographer Pradip Daimary has been officially selected for the Asian Cinematography awards to be held in Manila in the Philippines.

“I’m delighted to be nominated for the Kim Jiseok award, but it wouldn’t have been possible without the support of my entire team, and also my producer Shankar Lall Goenka who trusted us and believed in Iewduh,” two-time National Award winner Kurbah told The Citizen.

The 24th edition of the BIFF runs from October 3 to October 12 in Busan, one of the largest cities in South Korea. Iewduh will be screened in the segment titled ‘A Window on Asian Cinema’ along with other films from the continent.



Iewduh, also known as Barabazar, is one of the oldest and largest traditional markets and trade centres in northeastern India. The film narrates the daily lives of people involved with the market in Shillong, and their coexistence with different religions and communities.

“Iewduh the film is about everyday people, with everyday stories, not dignified as heroes but as people who make each other’s lives better. In every lane of Iewduh is an untold story. It’s about the struggle, the hope to give life not just to themselves, but also to those that they love, those that they care for. In Iewduh when reason ends, relationships begin,” the filmmaker said.

Launched by BIFF in 2017 to remember and honour the late Kim Ji-seok, a South Korean actor who died in May 2017. He was a founding member of BIFF who devoted his whole life to discovering young Asian directors and supporting the growth of Asian cinema. He played an essential role in establishing BIFF as one of the world’s highly regarded film festivals.

“The aim of the Kim Jiseok award is to discover and encourage Asian films. The winning film will be selected from among those screening in ‘A Window on Asian Cinema’, a section that introduces films from the year’s most talented Asian filmmakers,” say the festival organisers on their website.



Approximately eight world premieres have been nominated and the jury members will select two films as the first recipients of the award. Each film will be awarded a cash prize of USD 10,000.

Apart from that, Iewduh’s cinematographer Pradip Daimary has been officially selected for the Asian Cinematography Awards to be held in Manila next February. Iewduh will also be screened during the two-day festival and will compete for the Golden Eagle Award.

The film will have its India premiere at the 21st Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival, 2019, later in October.

The commercial release will take place on November 15 in Meghalaya and Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Manipur besides New Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore and Kolkata, said producer Shankar Lall Goenka and co-producer Siddharth Goenka in a statement.

Kurbah’s first film Ri: Homeland of Uncertainty made in 2013 won a National Award, as did his next film Onaatah (2016) which was recently adapted into Marathi as Mann Udhan Vaara.

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ABDUL GANI