Angh Becomes First Indian Film to Win TIFF Platform Competition

Angh, the feature directorial debut of filmmaker Theja Rio, has won the Platform Competition at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) 2026, becoming the first Indian film to take the section's top prize. The win grants the film automatic qualification for consideration in the International Feature Film category at the 2027 Academy Awards.

The film, which had its world premiere at TIFF, was the only Indian title selected for this year's Platform Competition. One of the festival's premier competitive sections, Platform is a juried, auteur-driven strand dedicated to bold directorial voices and distinctive cinematic storytelling.

Set in 1960s Nagaland, Angh follows an ageing Konyak village chief and his son, among the last to hold on to their ancestral faith and way of life as their world undergoes profound change. Shot on 16mm, it features an Indigenous Naga cast alongside BAFTA-winning actor Douglas Henshall, and explores tradition, faith, family, memory and cultural transformation.

The film is produced by Nancy Nisa Beso and Theja Rio. Jungle Book Studio, which acquired its international sales rights ahead of the TIFF premiere, represents the film for distribution both internationally and domestically.

Speaking about the recognition, Theja Rio said it was a special moment for everyone associated with the film, noting that it is rare for a debut to receive such recognition. He said the film was made with love for his homeland, his people and their culture, and that while its heart lies in a father-son relationship, it also speaks to letting go, the meaning of home and the transient nature of life. He thanked the jury for the opportunity to represent the country and its culture on two prestigious stages.

Producer Nancy Nisa Beso described her collaboration with Theja Rio as one of the longest and most meaningful of her career, spanning the journey from a short film to the feature. She said the team held on to the belief that this was a story they had to tell on their own terms, and acknowledged the many people who contributed their time, talent and resources. She expressed hope that the recognition would encourage other filmmakers to tell stories close to their hearts, from their own communities, experiences, languages and corners of the world.

Executive producer Gaurav Dhingra said the moment was bigger than a film, describing Angh as a work born in Nagaland and made by Indigenous filmmakers that carries the voice of a community rarely seen on the world's biggest screens on its own terms. He said the win was deeply moving for the film, its makers, Nagaland, India and independent cinema, and noted that the film marks the beginning of Jungle Book Studio's international sales and distribution journey.