Nagaland-set film 'Angh' selected for TIFF 2026 Platform Competition

Angh, the debut feature film by filmmaker Theja Rio, has been selected for the prestigious Platform Competition at the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), marking a major milestone for cinema from Northeast India.

Set in the remote jungles of Nagaland near the Indo–Myanmar border in the early 1960s, Angh will have its world premiere in the Platform section, TIFF's competitive programme dedicated to bold, director-driven cinema. The 2026 edition of the section features 12 films from across the globe.

Written and directed by Rio, Angh is the filmmaker's first feature-length project following a series of internationally screened and award-winning short films.

Shot on 16mm film, Angh tells the story of Anghba, the last surviving chief of an abandoned Indigenous Naga village. Living in isolation with his ailing wife and mute young son after being deserted by his people, the film explores themes of loss, identity, memory and survival against the backdrop of Nagaland's dense forests.

The selection places Angh among an exclusive group of international films competing in one of the world's leading film festivals and highlights the growing global recognition of stories emerging from India's Northeast.

The Toronto International Film Festival, regarded as one of the world's premier film festivals, has long served as a launchpad for acclaimed international films and emerging filmmakers. The inclusion of Angh in the Platform Competition marks a significant achievement for both filmmaker Theja Rio and the regional film industry.