Sikkim filmmaker Niyara Subba wins Best Debut Director Award at NIFF 2026 in London

<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Garamond",serif"><b>GANGTOK,: </b>Sikkim filmmaker Niyara Subba has won the Best Debut Director award for her film Numah?ngm? at the 2nd Nepal Indigenous Film Festival (NIFF) 2026, held in London.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Garamond",serif">Produced by Mrs H.M. Subba, Numah?ngm? was screened at the festival on September 27. The festival recognised films across various categories, including indigenous, narrative, feature-length, documentary and short films.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Garamond",serif">The 90-minute feature film, which was first screened in Gangtok in 2025, is set in the hills during the 1940s under British India. It tells the story of a resilient woman who faced numerous challenges and struggled to secure a better future for her daughter. The film highlights her efforts to ensure that her daughter, H.M. Subba, became the first woman from the area to pass the matriculation examination.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Garamond",serif">Through the story, Numah?ngm? portrays the struggles, perseverance and determination of a woman who went on to set an inspiring example for others.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Garamond",serif">The film had earlier earned major recognition at the 2nd Yakthung Cine Awards International (YCAI) 2082 in Nepal, where it won Best Film and Best Director, with Niyara Subba receiving the Best Director award.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Garamond",serif">Subba’s direction, particularly her sensitive portrayal of the central character, cultural elements and distinctive cinematic presentation, has received appreciation through these recognitions.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Garamond",serif">Speaking about the latest honour, Subba said the award was the result of the collective efforts of everyone associated with the film, including the actors and the entire team working behind the scenes. She said the recognition had further strengthened her resolve to contribute to the fields of cinema and literature.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p> </p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family:"Garamond",serif">The latest award marks the film’s second international recognition and represents a significant moment for Sikkim’s emerging film industry, bringing greater visibility to filmmakers, indigenous stories and cultural narratives from the region on international platforms, a press release informs.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

from www.sikkimexpress.com https://ift.tt/ITgWkRh
via IFTTT