Phum-Shang (floating life) - A Synopsis

Daniel Chabungbam *

Haobam Paban Kumar (Director of Phum-Shang )

FILM: PHUM-SHANG (floating life)
DURATION: 52 minutes
LANGUAGE: Manipuri
PRODUCER: Films Division, Mumbai
DIRECTOR: Haoabm Paban Kumar
CAMERA: Irom Maipak
EDITOR: Sankha
SOUND: Sukanta Mazumdar

S Y N O P S I S

In 2011, Manipur government burnt down hundreds of huts in Loktak Lake, North East India in the pretext of cleaning the lake and blaming the locals for the pollution of the lake. Thousands of fishermen were displaced, became homeless and their livelihood snatched. With nowhere to go the fisherman still continue to fight the authorities. They continue to fight a losing battle where the authorities are even questioning their being a native of the lake since they live on floating huts built on floating biomass.

AWARDS

o Golden Conch award in international competition section at 14th Mumbai International Festival 2016.
o Indian Panorama - 46th International Film Festival of India 2015.
o Best Documentary - 21st Kolkata International Film Festival 2015.
o Cinema of Resistance Award - 9th SIGNS, Kerala 2015.
o First Bala Kailasam Memorial Award, Chennai 2015
o Best Long Documentary - 8th International Documentary and Short Film Festival of Kerala 2015.
o Silver Lotus for the Best Investigative Film - 62nd National Film Awards 2014.

FESTIVALS

o In Competition, 14th Mumbai International Film Festival, 2016
o Nominated for Leipzig Ring Award, 58th DoK Leipzig, 2015
o India Week, Hamburg, 2015
o In Competition, 34th Jean Rouch International Film Festival, Paris, 2015
o In Competition, 10th Film South Asia, 2015
o In Competition, 12th Jeevika, New Delhi 2015
o In Competition, 8th CMS VATAVARAN, New Delhi 2015
o In Competition, 9th SIGNS Film Festival, 2015
o In Competition, 8th IDSFFK, Kerala 2015