Cinema of Manipur

The Cinema of Manipur is the film industry based in Manipur, India. It includes not only Meitei language movies but all the films made in different languages of the different communities in Manipur. The Manipuri film industry was born when Matamgi Manipur by Debkumar Bose was released on 9 April 1972. From Aribam Syam Sharma's Paokhum Ama, the first colour Manipuri film (1983), M.A Singh's Langlen Thadoi, the first full-length colour Manipuri film (1984), Oken Amakcham's Lammei, the first Manipuri digital film (2002), to Priyakanta Laishram's Oneness (film), the first Manipuri gay-themed film (2024), Manipuri cinema, which celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2022, has grown in both its form and culture.

As the production of video films gained momentum, the Manipuri film industry expanded and around 80 to 100 films were made each year, becoming the largest film industry in North East India by number of films produced per year. In recent years, there has been a decline in production.

Prior to Matamgee Manipur, there were several attempts made to make a film in the state, the most significant being Mainu Pemcha in 1948, which was left incomplete. The tradition of documentary filmmaking in Manipur was said to have been pioneered by the late Maharaj Kumar Priya Brata Singh who shot "actuality movies" with his 8 mm camera in 1936.

Aribam Syam Sharma's Ishanou which was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 1991 Cannes Film Festival was the only Indian film to be considered under Cannes Classic section at the Cannes Film Festival 2023.

As of 2023, Ishanou, Oneness (film) and Eikhoigi Yum are listed as the top 3 Manipuri films on IMDb.

Notable feature films: 1972-2022
This section covers notable Manipuri feature films released between 9 April 1972 and 9 April 2022. Notable films, in this context, include those films which have participated or won awards in national and international film festivals, and the films which have made history (for example, first full-length film, first filmmaker, first colour film, longest movie).

Notable feature films: 2022-2072
This section covers notable Manipuri feature films released between 9 April 2022 and 9 April 2072. Notable films, in this context, include those films which have participated or won awards in national and international film festivals, and the films which have made history (for example, first full-length film, first filmmaker, first colour film, longest movie).

Notable non-feature films: 1972-2022
This section covers notable Manipuri non-feature films released between 9 April 1972 and 9 April 2022, with Maipak: Son of Manipur being the exception in the categorisation (released in 1971). Notable films, in this context, include those films which have participated in or won awards in national and international film festivals, and the films which have made history (for example, first full-length film, first filmmaker, first colour film, longest movie).

Notable non-feature films: 2022-2072
This section covers notable Manipuri non-feature films released between 9 April 2022 and 9 April 2072.