Cinema VinesAt the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival, Nagaland‑based filmmaker Theja Rio’s feature “Angh” captured the Platform Prize, a coveted award that now serves as a direct ticket to the Academy Awards’ Best International Feature Film category. The film, which follows a father and son in 1960s Nagaland, was praised by the jury for its “refreshing perspective, strength of filmmaking, and deeply resonant portrait of a world.” The prize, announced on Sunday evening, guarantees that “Angh” will compete alongside other national entries, including India’s “Gondhal,” for a nomination at the 2027 Oscars.
“Angh” is an adaptation of Rio’s own 2021 short film and is almost entirely in the Konyak language, offering a rare cinematic glimpse into a culture seldom represented on screen. The narrative centers on a son drawn to the comforts of a mission, while the film simultaneously documents the conversion process that reframes local traditions as primitive. Rio’s direction has been lauded for its audacity and courage, qualities that earned the film the Platform Prize’s recognition.
The Platform Prize is one of only six international festival awards that provide a direct pathway to the Oscars, making this win particularly significant for a Nagaland‑origin film. Theja Rio was seen at the TIFF Lightbox premiere on September 15, 2026, where the film was screened for the first time in Toronto, Ontario.
Other highlights of TIFF 2026 included the People’s Choice Award, won by the Spanish queer epic “La Bola Negra” directed by the duo Los Javis. The film, which had already made waves at Cannes, is slated for a theatrical release on October 16 and will stream on Netflix from December 2. Peter Farrelly’s comedy “I Play Rocky” and Siân Heder’s drama “Being Heumann” finished as the first and second runners‑up for the Platform Prize, respectively.
