Yarwng (Roots) || National Award winning Kokborok Feature Flim (2008) || uploaded on 12 Nov 2025

Yarwng (Roots), 2008, won the National Award for "Best Feature Film in languages other than those specified in the Schedule VIII of the Constitution" at the 56th National Film Awards. Made in Kokborok, the language of the indigenous peoples of Tripura, Northeast India, Yarwng focuses on the large-scale displacement of indigenous people due to the construction of the Dumbur dam in the 1970s. Produced by Don Bosco Sampari Pictures and directed by Joseph Pulinthanath sdb.

Synopsis
The inhabitants of Bolongbwsa in the Tripura of the 1970s must leave their village because a dam on the twin rivers of Raima and Saima is nearing completion and their village will soon be submerged. This is particularly hard for Karmati and Wakhirai whose long-standing romance is about to culminate in marriage. Having been flushed out of their homes, the families of Karmati and Wakhirai also go their separate ways and settle down to new ways of living. Months later, Karmati, now married, comes to know that her husband-would-have-been is round the corner. It is a trying situation for the three people involved. Karmati makes a choice and despite much heartbreak, decides to resolutely follow the consequences of her choice.

Credits
Lead Roles:
Meena Debbarma (Karmati), Nirmal Jamatia (Uakhirai), Sushil Debbarma (Sukurai), Amulya Ratan Jamatia (Chokdri)
Camera : Kannan, Edit : Sasi Menon, Mahesh Narayanan, Associate Director : Sajeev Pazhoor, Music : Bikash Roy Debbarma, Chira Kumar Debbarma, Background Music : Abhijit Bose, Production Designer : Ivan D’Silva svd, Production Coordinator : Meena Debbarma, Production : KJ Joseph sdb (Sampari Pictures), Story, Script, Direction : Joseph Pulinthanath sdb , Studios (Audio) Chitranjali (KSFDC), Trivandrum, Kalabhavan Digital, Trivandrum, Chitrabani, Kolkata, Wavetone, Agartala
Reverse Telecine : Ramoji Film Studios, Hyderabad.

Awards
• National Award at the 56th National Film Awards
• Special Jury Mention Award at the 7th Third Eye Asian Film Festival, Mumbai 2008
• Bronze Drum at International Indigenous Film Festival of Nepal, Kathmandu, Nepal
• Recognition: Opening Film of the Indian Panorama at IFFI 2008
56th National Film Awards List of Winners: https://www.google.com/search?sca_esv...

Overseas Screenings
• 12 & 14 June 12, 2009 - 'New India' at Museum of Modern Art, New York
• 2 August 2009 - 18th Brisbane International Film Festival, Brisbane, Australia
• 25 June 2009 - Moscow International Film Festival (Indian Panorama) Moscow
• 17 July 2009 - 'Bollywood and Beyond' Film Festival, Stuttgart, Germany
• Asia Pacific International Film Festival, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
• Dhaka International Film Festival, Dhaka, Bangladesh
• 25 June 2010 - International Indigenous Film Festival, Kathmandu, (Bronze Drum)
• 7 August 2010 - Black History Mo nth, Brisbane, Australia
• 8 Dec 2011 – at Maison des Cultures du Monde 101 Bvd Raspali, 75006, Paris, by Sorosoro (with French Subtitles)
• Nov 2015 – Hamburg, Germany, as part of Kinemathek Metropolis, East By Northeast (3 screenings)

Some of the Festival Screenings in India
• 7th Asian Film Festival, Mumbai (Received Special Jury Mention Award), Beta SP
• 14th Kolkata Film Festival, Kolkata, 35MM
• 39th International Film Festival of India, Goa (Opening Film, Indian Panorama), 35MM
• 13th International Film Festival of India, Trivandrum, 35MM
• Chennai International Film Festival, Chennai, 35MM
• Pune International Film Festival, Pune, 35MM
• Bangalore International Film Festival, Bangalore, 35MM
• Indian Panorama Films Festival, Siri Fort Auditorium, New Delhi, 35MM
• Signs Film Festival, Trivandrum, 35MM
• CineASA North East Film Festival, Guwahati, DVD
• 2nd Women’s International Film Festival, Chennai, 35MM
• North East Film Festival, New Delhi, DVD
• Akshara Northeast Festival, New Delhi, DVD
• Signis India National Convention, Varanasi, DVD
• Habitat Film Festival, New Delhi, DVD
• International Festival of Films on Tribal and Culture, Bhopal, DVD
• Boscom National Assembly, Chennai, DVD
• North East Film Festival, Guwahati, DVD
• Winter Course on Forced Migration, Calcutta Research Group, Swabhumi, Kolkata, DVD
• Agartala Film Festival, Agartala, DVD
• Shillong Indian Panorama Film Festival, Shillong (Opening Film)
• 6th National Film Festival of Kerala, Calicut
• Thrissur International Film Festival, Thrissur, 25-27 August 2009
• Telecast on Doordarshan Lok Sabha channel, Beta SP
• Swaralaya International Film Festival, Palakkad 11 to 15 September 2009
• Paravur Film Festival, Ernakulam 22 to 27 September 2009
• Global Cinema Festival, Indore
• Indian Panorama Festival, Kohlapur, 30 July 2010
• 12 Nov; 2010, 2.00 pm at Yavanika, Nrupatunga Road; Bangalore; International Film Festival Bangalore 2010
• 26.09.2021 - 1st Himalayan Film Festival, Ladakh