Aribam Syam Sharma’s 1990 Manipuri film Ishanou returned to the Cannes Film Festival in 2023 as a restored print in Cannes Classics. The film follows Tampha, a young mother drawn to the Maibi priestesses, and its restoration brought together a deteriorated 16 mm camera negative, surviving 35 mm prints and separate sound material.
When the restored version of Ishanou showed at Cannes
The restored film had its red-carpet world premiere in Cannes Classics on May 19, 2023, at 11 a.m. in the Buñuel Theatre. The festival categorized the presentation as “Restored prints.” This was a past screening, not a current Cannes schedule. The original Ishanou had been shown in Un Certain Regard in 1991, so the 2023 presentation brought the film back to Cannes more than three decades later. Cannes announced the selection, and its film listing records the screening details.
Film Heritage Foundation director Shivendra Singh Dungarpur described the return as “fantastic” and said the film was back at Cannes “in all its glory.” The remark reflects the restoration’s significance as well as the festival’s recognition of a film first screened there in 1991.
What the film is about
Tampha’s choice and separation
Ishanou—also known as The Chosen One—is a 1990 Indian feature directed by Aribam Syam Sharma. Its 90-minute story centers on Tampha, a young mother who leaves her husband and daughter after responding to a divine call to join the Maibi priestesses. Her spiritual absorption does not erase the pain of separation from her child.
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A specifically Manipuri spiritual world
The film places the spiritual world of the Maibis alongside the rhythms of ordinary life. Traditional Manipuri music, including the pena and bamboo flute, contributes to its texture. The story is grounded in this cultural setting; describing it simply as a generic tale of mysticism would miss the specificity of the film’s subject and sound. Cannes credits Maharaj Kumari Binodini Devi as screenwriter and Anoubam Kiranmala as Tampha. The cast also includes Kangabam Tomba, Baby Molly, Manbi, Soraisam Dhiren and Baby Premita. Festival des 3 Continents identifies the language as Meitei.
How the restoration was made
Film Heritage Foundation coordinated the restoration at L’Immagine Ritrovata and Prasad Corporation Pvt. Ltd.’s Post Studios in Chennai, in association with Sharma and the Manipur State Film Development Society. The team worked from multiple surviving elements rather than a single pristine source:
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- The disk has English audio and subtitles.
- The 16 mm original camera negative, preserved at the National Film Archive of India.
- Two 35 mm prints held by Sharma.
- A 35 mm acetate print used as the source for digitising the sound.
The negative had suffered vinegar syndrome on some reels, mould, warping, broken perforations, scratches and base distortion. L’Immagine Ritrovata carried out wet-gate scanning; Prasad Corporation undertook manual digital cleanup; and image and sound restoration work was also done at the Bologna laboratory. Sharma supervised the grading and worked on the subtitling. Film Heritage Foundation’s restoration account describes the process and the collaboration.
Sharma said, “I am so glad that Film Heritage Foundation chose ‘Ishanou’ to be restored.” The Second Run release describes its presentation as coming from the new 4K restoration; that resolution refers to that edition’s description, not to a specification stated in the Cannes event listing.
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For home viewing: Second Run Blu-ray
Second Run documents a region-free Blu-ray of the restored film with English subtitles. Its listed extras include an interview with Sharma, interviews with actor Kangabam Tomba and Film Heritage Foundation director Shivendra Singh Dungarpur, and a booklet featuring new writing. Check the Second Run edition page for current stock and availability. Before buying, confirm that your player supports the disc format and that the listed subtitles meet your needs.
For film societies, archives and educational programmers: DCP lead
Festival des 3 Continents lists a restored copy with DCP projection support and Film Heritage Foundation as the print contact. Its film page is a lead for institutional programmers, not a commercial booking offer. Contact the relevant rights holder or print contact to confirm present availability, permissions and terms before planning a public or educational screening.
Streaming and current screenings
The cited festival and release pages document the 2023 Cannes screening and a Blu-ray edition, but do not establish present-day streaming availability or a current Cannes schedule. Check current distributor or platform listings rather than assuming the film is streaming.
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