Indian feature Angh, the feature directorial debut of Theja Rio, has taken the top prize in the Toronto Film Festival‘s (TIFF) Platform section, an award that comes with automatic entry into the Oscars’ international feature film race for 2027.
Angh was the only Indian film selected for the section this year, and the win comes with an automatic berth in the Oscars’ international feature film race. India’s official submission to the category is “Gondhal,” which won Santosh Davakhar Best Director at the International Film Festival of India, Goa.
The Platform section is one of TIFF’s key competitive sections and focuses on distinctive films driven by strong directorial voices. The Platform winner receives automatic qualification for consideration in the International Feature Film category at the Academy Awards.
The story of Angh takes place in Nagaland during the 1960s, centring on an elderly Konyak chief and his son, two of the last holdouts in their village clinging to their ancestral beliefs as the world around them shifts irrevocably. The cast draws largely from indigenous Naga communities, joined by BAFTA winner Douglas Henshall.
Angh marks the feature debut of Winter Hymns Films, a Nagaland production house previously known for its short films on the festival circuit. The film is also produced through Undercover Squirrel, a story-driven media company working across film, documentaries, digital media and commercials.
VARIETY, INDIA TODAY
