Film Heritage Foundation returns to Cannes Classics with world premiere of legendary Manipuri filmmaker Aribam Syam Sharma’s ‘Ishanou’

In keeping with the policy of restoration of forgotten gems of India’s cinematic heritage, the Film Heritage Foundation is returning to Cannes Classic with the restored film of the revered Manipuri filmmaker Aribam Syam Sharma’s award-winning film “Ishanou” (1990).

The restoration has been selected for red-carpet world premiere at the prestigious Cannes Classic section of the Cannes Film Festival 2023.

Aribam Syam Sharma’s ‘Ishanou’ was part of the uncertain regard in 1991 and till date remains the only film ever from Northeast India to be in the official selection.

The restoration work of the film ‘Ishanou’ was the product of hours of meticulous and painstaking manual work that went into the digital restoration, clean-up and colour correction of the film.

‘Ishanou’ is a 1990 Indian Meitei language film written by MK Binodini Devi and directed by Aribam Syam Sharma. It was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 1991 Cannes Film Festival. The movie was first aired in Doordarshan and later released in Usha Cinema, Paona Bazar on Jul6 1990. The film has been screened in several film festival including London Film Festival, Festival of festivals Toronto, International Film Festival Rotterdam and others.

Cannes Classics is the section dedicated to restored film classics, documentaries about cinema and tributes. It has existed since 2004 and screen every year around twenty-five restored film classics belonging to the history of cinema, and notably to the history of the Festival de Cannes, and five documentaries about cinema, paying tributes to artists as well.

The film ‘Ishanou’ was officially selected in May 2023, will be part of the Official Selection of the Festival de Cannes 2023 in the Cannes Classics section.

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