Jungle Book Studio has secured international sales rights to «Angh,» the debut feature from Nagaland filmmaker Theja Rio, ahead of its world premiere at the Toronto Film Festival. The film is the only Indian entry in TIFF's Platform competition, a slot that has previously launched the international careers of directors including Barry Jenkins and Darius Marder.
Set in the remote hills of Nagaland in the early 1960s, «Angh» centers on a Konyak community navigating a period of profound change in India's northeast. The film stars Douglas Henshall, best known for his lead role in the long-running BBC crime drama «Shetland.» Henshall's involvement gives the project a recognizable international face as it enters the festival marketplace, where acquisition interest in independent features has been running high.
The timing of the sales deal reflects a broader surge in festival acquisitions. Last year's Toronto market produced the highest-grossing fest acquisition in box office history, with a worldwide haul of $512 million, a result that has buyers and sellers approaching this year's edition with renewed appetite for independent titles. Jungle Book Studio's move to take worldwide rights positions «Angh» for distribution deals across multiple territories as the festival gets underway.
Nagaland, a state in India's far northeast bordering Myanmar, has rarely been the setting for internationally distributed narrative features. Rio's film joins a small but growing group of projects from the region to reach major festival platforms, and its placement in Platform — TIFF's competitive section for distinctive directorial voices — signals that programmers see the film as more than a regional curiosity. The section has historically favored formally adventurous work from emerging filmmakers.
Henshall's casting adds a layer of crossover appeal. The Scottish actor spent nearly a decade leading «Shetland,» a series with a substantial international following, and his presence in a period drama set in 1960s northeast India is an unusual career turn that is likely to draw press attention during the festival. The film's producers have not yet announced a release date or distribution partners beyond the international sales arrangement.
Jungle Book Studio will be presenting the film to buyers during the Toronto market, where a crowded slate of independent features is competing for attention. The company has not disclosed the terms of the deal or the territories it intends to prioritize. A first clip from «Angh» has been released alongside the sales announcement, offering a glimpse of the film's visual approach to the hill landscapes of Nagaland.
For TIFF, the Platform selection continues the festival's practice of mixing established names with first-time feature directors. For Rio, the premiere represents a significant international debut, and for the Konyak story at the film's center, a rare moment of global visibility. Further details on the film's cast, crew, and release strategy are expected as the festival unfolds.