Angh, a film from Nagaland, has won the top prize at the Toronto Film Festival's Platform section. Due to this huge milestone, the movie is automatically eligible for the Oscars’ international feature film category. This is a huge achievement for Indian cinema, and several celebrities have lauded the film.

What is Angh about?

Angh is set in Nagaland during the 1960s and follows an elderly Konyak chief and his son, two of the last holdouts in their village clinging to their ancestral beliefs as the world around them shifts irrevocably.
While speaking to Variety, producer Rio called Angh a special film. She said, "I am aware that it is rare for a debut film to receive this kind of recognition, and all I can say is that we made ‘Angh’ with a lot of love – for the place I come from, for my people and for our culture. At the heart of the film is the relationship between a father and son, but it is also about letting go, our relationship with home and the transient nature of life.”
Filmmaker-actor Anurag Kashyap also gave a big shoutout to the film and wrote on Instagram, "Theja Rio’s “Angh” wins the platform award at @tiff_net and gets a direct entry into the best foreign film category at the Academy awards . Congratulations team . let the right one in .."

Announcing the incredible news, the makers of Angh wrote, "We’re elated to share that Theja Rio’s Angh has won the prestigious Platform Award at the Toronto International Film Festival 2026, earning a direct pathway to the Oscars 2027 International Feature Film category. This marks a historic moment for Indian cinema and an important recognition for an Indigenous filmmaker."

The film is produced by Nancy Nisa Beso and Rio, and Jungle Book Studios founder Gaurav Dhingra serves as an executive producer.

Coming back to Oscar 2027, Marathi thriller 'Gondhal' is India's official entry to the 99th Academy Awards in the Best International Feature Film category. Written and directed by Santosh Davakhar, the film is set in rural Maharashtra that revolves around a traditional folk performance and Gondhal ritual over a tense single night.

Interestingly, Angh was also among the 33 films that were competing for this submission. Oscars 2027 will take place on March 14, 2027, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. 

(Image Credits: Instagram)
To read more such stories, stay tuned to Her Zindagi.