India, Oct. 13 -- A pregnant woman struggles to deliver her baby amid gunfire, a young boy searches for his mother with only a displaced calf for company, and a cafe owner risks her life to shelter people fleeing violence. These interwoven stories of survival and resilience form the heart of the Manipuri feature film "Enoong Ngallamdai" (Fireflies in the Dark), set against the backdrop of the ethnic violence that erupted in Manipur in 2023.

The 85-minute film had its world premiere at the 2026 Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF) on October 6, screening in the Panorama Cinemas of Asia programme.

Writer-director Yogesh Lohan said the project took shape after he travelled to Manipur and met survivors of the violence before writing...