The Government of Nagaland felicitated filmmaker Theja Rio on Wednesday for his achievements in cinema, particularly the international recognition received by his debut feature film ANGH.
The felicitation programme was held at the State Banquet Hall at the Chief Minister’s Residential Complex, Kohima. Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio described the achievement as a moment of pride for Nagaland and the Naga people, noting that ANGH was the only Indian film selected for the Platform Competition at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) 2026.
The Chief Minister said the film demonstrated the potential of authentic stories rooted in Nagaland’s history, culture and people to reach international audiences. He also recalled Theja Rio’s earlier works, Remains and Ade (On a Sunday), which received recognition at national and international film festivals.
Rio highlighted the participation of first-time actors from interior areas of Nagaland, particularly Mon district, describing the film’s journey from Mon to Toronto as an inspiration for young people.
He also acknowledged producer Nancy Nisa Beso, executive producer Gaurav Dhingra, cinematographer Adam Pietkiewicz, the cast and crew, and others associated with the film.
Theja Rio expressed gratitude to his family, collaborators, the Department of Information & Public Relations and the Konyak community for their support during the production. He said the success of ANGH should contribute to a wider conversation on nurturing cinema in Nagaland and creating opportunities for more stories from the State to reach the world.
Former Film Association of Nagaland president and founding member Kivini Shohe said the film’s international recognition highlighted the potential of Naga stories. She called for filmmaking education, technical training, production opportunities, film festivals and screening spaces to strengthen the State’s film ecosystem.
The programme also featured the screening of an exclusive ANGH trailer and a short video titled “Theja Rio: The Man Behind the Lens”. Departments of Art & Culture, Tourism, and Youth Resources & Sports, along with other organisations, felicitated Rio and the film’s team.
ANGH, set in the 1960s and centred on a Konyak village chief and his son, premiered at TIFF in September 2026 and won the Platform Prize. The film thereby became eligible for consideration in the International Feature Film category at the 2027 Academy Awards.
