Imphal: In an effort to nurture a culture of good cinema in the state, the Manipur State Film Development Society (MSFDS) launched its first screenplay incubation and mentorship program, inviting present and fresh screenwriters from Manipur to apply with a screen project, to be developed during the 6-month intensive Screenplay Lab.
Altogether, 15 screenplay projects were received for the lab, and out of them, the Screen Lab Selection Committee shortlisted seven projects for the mentorship program. The selected projects dealt with contemporary issues, steeped in cultural nuances.
To make the Screen Lab fruitful, it will be divided into two phases: In the first phase, applicants would be mentored on the basics of screenwriting, adopting a combination of online and offline modes of interaction. After a thorough understanding of the basics, the applicants would then be mentored on their specific projects in the second phase by film industry experts from outside the State.
The selected projects of the 1st MSFDS Screen Lab 2022 are: Leitai Jagoi by Maipaksana Haorongbam; Night and Night by Ashok Veilou, Ima by R.K. Johnson Smell of the Ripening Field by Alexander Leo Pou Ashukpa by Maharabam Abhijit Singh The Scent of a Mother by Nandeibam Pramoda and The Bewhiskered Courier by Suresh Khuraijam
