Nagaland’s ‘Angh’ Wins TIFF Platform Prize

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KOHIMA | TORONTO, September 22: 

Nagaland has earned international recognition after filmmaker Theja Rio’s debut feature film, Angh, won the prestigious Platform Prize at the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).

The achievement marks an important moment for Nagaland and for the representation of Indigenous Naga stories in international cinema.

Set in Nagaland during the 1960s, Angh follows an ageing Konyak village chief and his son as they try to hold on to their ancestral traditions while their community faces major social and cultural changes.

The film explores themes of cultural identity, family, faith, tradition and the connection between people and their homeland. It is primarily told in the Konyak language and features local Naga performers alongside BAFTA-winning actor Douglas Henshall.

Angh was the only Indian film selected for TIFF’s Platform Competition, a section that highlights distinctive films and filmmakers with bold and original approaches to cinema.

The Platform Prize win is also significant because, under the Academy’s new eligibility rules, the film can potentially qualify for consideration in the International Feature Film category at the 2027 Academy Awards through an alternative pathway.

However, the TIFF victory does not mean that Angh has received an Oscar nomination. Any Oscar consideration would take place separately from India’s official submission process.

The development comes after Marathi film Gondhal was selected as India’s official entry for the 2027 Academy Awards. This means the two films could potentially enter the Oscar race through different qualification routes.

Beyond the awards, Angh’s success has brought wider attention to Naga culture, the Konyak community and filmmaking from India’s Northeast.

The film’s journey from Nagaland to one of the world’s leading film festivals highlights how regional and Indigenous stories can reach international audiences while retaining their language, traditions and cultural identity.

Location: Kohima, Nagaland, India

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