Naga director wins best screenplay at Delhi Shorts International Film Festival

‘I always knew I wanted to write an interesting story filled with interesting characters’

The passage had had to take coming all the way from a small town, Dimapur in Nagaland, to an international competition and winning a prize there. A Naga lad, Thejavituo Rio, has proven to be no ordinary success by winning the ‘best screenplay’ award as writer and director for ‘Checkpost,’ a short action film with a hint of dark comedy and satire.

The award was announced at the 7th edition of Delhi Shorts International Film Festival, which was held on Oct. 28 in Delhi.

It was during a conversation that Thejavituo Rio, the director and writer of the film offered EM readers exclusive insights into the journey of ‘Checkpost.’ He said that the premise of the drama was based on a rural police check post near the India-Myanmar border where two drug smugglers are arrested when trying to smuggle opium into India.

“Despite the heavy subject, we didn’t want the film to have a very serious tone, and hence decided to keep it as close to black comedy (sic) as possible. We felt it was a good and convenient way to satirise the characters as well as the themes/subjects we were trying to tackle,” he said.

The 20-minute film began production in March 2017 with Dimapur as its location.  The film was shot through the lens of an Alexa Mini by an Italian cinematographer Vincenzo Condorelli.

Speaking about his experience of being recognised with the award, Rio said, “I wouldn’t say it’s anything close to an accomplishment, yet, but it’s definitely a positive sign that we’re heading the right direction.” He also thanked God and the people who have supported him constantly.

Although Rio wasn’t sure of having any specific motive for making Checkpost, he was clear about one thing: “I always knew I wanted to write an interesting story filled with interesting characters.” From out of other genres, he found special enthusiasm for fiction through which one “could write and tell any story that comes to your mind.”

“It gives me a voice and allows me to tell stories or ideas that I want to tell. I like that it is not monotonous and there’s always new challenges,” Rio explained.

When queried his idea about coming up with such a film, he spoke of inspiration from the opening scene of ‘Inglorious Bastards,’ where the dialogue and performance of the characters keep viewers on the edge of their seats.

Checkpost begins with a scene depicting a drug smuggler accidentally coming across a police check post, and outwitting a police officer there.

The director recounted his childhood days as a child who was always ready to tell and listen to stories. He recalled: “I remember forcing my cousins to either listen to my stories or tell me stories. And at school, I enjoyed writing a lot. I first started writing raps (hip hop songs) at a very young age, and later transitioned to writing stories once I became more comfortable and confident with myself.”

“I realised that filmmakers are actually simply telling their stories to the world,” he said. He explained that cinema was one of the biggest media platforms for storytellers and the very reason he decided to use it.

Pointing out some of the challenges he faced when starting out, Rio said “coming up with a new idea for a script” was challenging. “Most of the time, I’ll have an idea pop up in my head, only to be cast off a day later for being too clichéd.”

Rio said to have questioned his abilities and thought, “You’re not cut out for this.” He is thankful to his “wonderful mentor” Nancy Nisa Beso, an Indian film producer and actress, he said taught him a great deal.

Rio also gave a sneak peek to EM readers about his next project. “We have a new 15-page screenplay which is close to its final draft. We don’t have a conclusive title for it yet. The film takes place around the 1950s.” The new film is in the pre-production stage and expected to be filmed by this winter, or by April 2019, depending on the schedule of the crew. It will be produced by a new production house Winter Hymns Productions.

Thejavituo Rio has an advice for upcoming filmmakers: “Find your voice and tell your story. We might not have as much knowledge and exposure to the world of cinema as the rest of the world. But our stories remain fresh and untold. And in a time where the entire film industry is struggling to churn out original scripts, and having to rely on comic books movies and remakes of old films. Now is the time to tell our stories.”

Eastern Mirror Desk