Fireflies in the Dark, film on Manipur violence, premieres at Vancouver festival

Manipuri film Enoong Ngallamdai (Fireflies in the Dark), centred on the human cost of conflict, recently had its world premiere at the 2026 Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF). The 85-minute film was screened in the Panorama Cinemas of Asia line-up and follows the lives of people caught in violence through three connected stories.The film tells the stories of a pregnant woman trying to give birth amid gunfire, a young boy searching for his missing mother, and a cafe owner who risks her life to shelter people fleeing attacks. Set against the ethnic violence that erupted in Manipur in 2023, the film brings together stories of survival, displacement and resilience, while keeping its focus on the people living through the aftermath and the hope that carries them forward.Directed by Yogesh Lohan and written by Chingsanglakpa and Lohan, Fireflies in the Dark uses a fragmented, non-linear narrative and intimate handheld camerawork to depict the conflict without turning violence into spectacle.Lohan said the project began after he met survivors in Manipur. Before writing the screenplay, he travelled to the state and spoke to people who had lost everything. Their accounts of pain and trauma, along with the hope they still held on to, shaped the emotional core of the film. The team shot the film at real locations across Manipur with the trust and support of local communities, and Lohan said they wanted to honour the lives affected without aestheticising suffering. The cast includes Bala Hijam Ningthoujam, known for the BAFTA-winning film Boong, along with Leishangthem Tonthoingambi Devi, Angom Pamdamba Singh, Aheibam Chiranjit, Luwang Yumlembam and Ratan Lai. The film also features several first-time actors, including people from remote villages and refugee camps who had never faced a camera before.The VIFF premiere marked an important milestone for Lohan and the team after the difficulties of bringing the project to screen. Lohan said it was especially meaningful to see the film reach an audience. The film also continues producer Jani Viswanath's work with regional cinema and stories from communities that are often overlooked. Her filmography includes the Assamese film Xhoixobote Dhemalite (Rainbow Fields), directed by Bidyut Kotoky; the Boro films Jwlwi – The Seed and Gorai Phakri (Wild Swans), both directed by Rajni Basumatary; and the Manipuri documentary Andro Dreams, directed by Meena Longjam.Ravi Ranjan Sharma is the director of photography, Meena Longjam is the creative director, Amrit Pritam and Debajit Changmai handled sound design, Daniel B George composed the music, and Tinni Mitra edited the film. Rajni Basumatary served as executive producer. Viswanath said the film's message goes beyond Manipur, adding that violence and conflict cannot bring lasting peace and that unity, positivity and harmony are needed to sustain a peaceful world. Through its stories of loss, displacement and quiet courage, Fireflies in the Dark keeps its attention on the people living through conflict rather than the violence alone.- Ends