Nagaland filmmaker Theja Rio’s debut feature film Angh has won the prestigious Platform Prize at the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), marking a major international achievement for Naga cinema.
The award, announced on September 20, makes Angh eligible for consideration in the International Feature Film category at the 2027 Academy Awards under TIFF’s new Oscar pathway. The film has not, however, been nominated for an Oscar at this stage.
Angh was the only Indian film selected for TIFF’s 12-film Platform Competition, the festival’s juried section dedicated to distinctive filmmaking voices. The jury, headed by Argentine filmmaker Pablo Trapero, praised the film for its “refreshing perspectives, strength of filmmaking, and deeply resonant portrait of a world,” while commending Rio’s vision and courage.
Film set in 1960s Nagaland
Set in Nagaland in the early 1960s, Angh follows an ageing Konyak village chief and his son as they hold on to their ancestral faith and traditional way of life amid sweeping social and cultural change.
The film explores themes of tradition, faith, family, cultural identity, memory and the changing relationship with home. It was shot on 16mm film and features an Indigenous Naga cast alongside BAFTA-winning British actor Douglas Henshall.
Theja Rio’s feature debut
Angh is Theja Rio’s first feature film. The filmmaker developed the project from his earlier short film of the same name, eventually expanding the story into a feature-length work.
Speaking after the TIFF victory, Rio described the recognition as a special moment for everyone involved in the film and said the story was made with deep affection for his homeland, people and culture. At its heart, he said, the film is about the relationship between a father and son, while also exploring universal experiences such as letting go and the transient nature of life.
A milestone for Naga cinema
The TIFF victory represents a significant international platform for Naga storytelling and Indigenous filmmaking from Northeast India.
Accepting the award, Rio dedicated the recognition to people back home in Nagaland. He said the recognition was particularly meaningful because the film comes from an Indigenous region and is told in a tribal language.
The Platform Prize carries a CAD 20,000 cash award and a trophy.
Oscar journey
Under the new eligibility arrangement, winning the TIFF Platform Prize provides a non-English-language film with a direct pathway to consideration for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film.
The distinction is important: Angh is now eligible for Oscar consideration, but the film is not yet an Oscar nominee. India’s official submission for the 2027 Oscars is a separate matter.
The success of Angh has brought Nagaland’s filmmaking talent and Konyak cultural storytelling to a major global audience, placing a locally rooted Naga story at the centre of international cinema.