THE ELYSIAN FIELD (HA LYNGKHA BNENG)

THE ELYSIAN FIELD (HA LYNGKHA BNENG)
by Pradip Kurbah

123 minutes | Human Interest/Relationships | 2025

CAST
Albert Mawrie, Helena Duiia, Richard Kharpuri, Baia Marbaniang, Merlvin Mukhim, Jeetesh Sharma

PRODUCTION
DIRECTOR – Pradip Kurbah; WRITERS: Paulami Duttagupta, Pradip Kurbah
PRODUCERS – Arpana Kurbah, Jova Kurbah, Marjina Kurbah
CO-PRODUCERS – Nancy Nisa Beso, Gordon Kharsyiemiong, Wallam Lyngba
CINEMATOGRAPHER – Pradip Daimary
EDITOR – Badeimon Kharshiing
PRODUCTION SOUND MIXER – Dewri Sumir
VISUAL EFFECTS – M Janai Talang
COLORIST – Rajesh Yadav

LOGLINE
The Elysian Field (Ha Lyngkha Bneng) is set in the Khasi Hills in 2047 where only six villagers remain. Amid loss, love, and fading memories, they find strength in community, resilience in silence, and hope in each other even as the world moves on.

SYNOPSIS
The Elysian Field (Ha Lyngkha Bneng) illuminates the profound beauty of human connection against the backdrop of inevitable change. Set in the tranquil Khasi Hills, Meghalaya, India in 2047, the story follows Livingstone and his fellow villagers as they grapple with the intertwined forces of loss, love, and resilience.

At its heart, The Elysian Field (Ha Lyngkha Bneng) celebrates the unbreakable bonds of community. In a village now home to only six souls – reduced so drastically by the pull of urban migration – friendship becomes a lifeline, offering solace in the face of loneliness.

Yet, in times of both triumph and adversity, these six villagers stand as beacons of resilience. Their collective spirit proves unyielding despite the uncertainties that lie ahead. Bound together by shared experiences, they weave a tapestry of hope, reminding us of timeless truths about love, loss, and the fortifying power of solidarity – even when the rest of the world beckons beyond their cherished homeland.

FILMMAKER’S PROFILE

PRADIP KURBAH is a self-taught filmmaker from Shillong, Meghalaya, and one of the foremost voices in Khasi-language cinema. His films have brought stories from Northeast India to both national and international audiences, blending cultural identity with universal human themes. He has received the National Film Award three times and continues to pioneer regional cinema from Meghalaya. Alongside filmmaking, he has served as a jury member at several prestigious national and international film festivals, representing independent and regional Indian cinema on global platforms.

Kurbah’s The Elysian Field or Ha Lyngkha Bneng (2025) garnered the three major recognitions at the 47th Moscow International Film Festival: the Golden Saint George for Best Film; the Silver Saint George for Best Director; and the NETPAC Award for Best Asia Film.

His 2019 film Ïewduh (Market) won the Kim Ji-Seok Award at the Busan International Film Festival; the Best Khasi Film at the 67th National Film Awards; the Human Spirit Award at the Pune International Film Festival; the Best Film at the Florence Iff); and the Best Asian Cinematographer during the Asian Cinematography Awards in Manila.

In 2016, his film Onaatah: Daughter of the Earth received the Best Khasi Film at the 63rd National Film Awards; the Audience Choice Award at the Toulouse Indian Film Festival; and Best Film, Actress, and Director at the Prag Cine Awards.

For Kurban’s Ri: Homeland of Uncertainty (2014), the film obtained the Best Khasi Film at the 61st National Film Awards; and three awards at the North East Film Festival, Itanagar, namely, Best Film, Best Actor, and Best Director.

DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT

For me, the most powerful stories begin in a specific place – a small village, a unique culture – but resonate universally. The Elysian Field grew from my deep connection to Khasi life, its rhythms and its quiet codes. Yet the story is built on emotions – grief, love, guilt, longing – that transcend geography. I trusted these would speak to anyone, anywhere.

Setting the film in 2047 felt symbolically apt. It marks 100 years of India’s independence and 75 of Meghalaya’s statehood; a moment to reflect on what we’ve gained and what we may be losing. One thing I fear we’re losing is our sense of community. The quiet interdependence that once held us together like neighbors checking in – grief shared in silence – is slowly disappearing. Today, even villages feel more fragmented.

Through the film, I wanted to ask: what does freedom truly mean? If we carry unresolved trauma, guilt or grief we can’t voice, are we really free? Freedom, to me, is also emotional and psychological. It’s the ability to feel, to mourn, to connect, to dream and to belong.

Setting the story in the future allowed me to explore memory and imagination side by side. The goal wasn’t to make a political statement, but an emotional one – a call to listen, to remember and to rebuild our shared bonds now, before it’s too late.

If I’m still here in 2047, I hope the future I imagined doesn’t come to pass. I hope instead we choose compassion, connection and community. That would be the most meaningful ending of all.

– Excerpted from vaguevisages.com interview with the filmmaker