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Bhubaneswar, August 9: Documentaries by film-makers Snehasis Das and Geeta Dash have been selected for screening at the fourth Woodpecker International Film Festival to be held from September 15–18 at Siri Fort Auditorium, New Delhi.
Snehasis’s film ‘Spandan’ is based on organ donation while Geeta’s ‘Veiled Identities’ deals with multiple disabilities. The latter had received special mention at the recently held Dada Saheb Phalke Film Festival.
“This would be the second official screening of the film after Dada Saheb Phalke Film Festival. I consider it a really big achievement and hope people will like my work. This is the first time they have included a segment for films concerning disability,” Geeta said.
According to the film-maker, Veiled Identities’ was “dedicated to all physically and mentally challenged children and people who want to live lives with dignity out of their own effort and willpower”. “Through this film, I have tried to unveil talent and capabilities of special children,” she said and added that she was also happy for Snehasis, whose film has also made the cut.
“I am also associated with his film as the chief additional director. He is a very good friend and his works and the subjects he chooses are very different. It was a dream to work with him and I am glad I got the opportunity,” Geeta said.
It is a feeling Snehasis reciprocates. But for him the selection of his works at the festival, though, is not new. In 2015, his film ‘A for Apple’ had won an award at the same festival. He is also optimistic about ‘Spandan’.
“Woodpecker film festival is a big platform for a documentary film-maker to showcase works. It is becoming tougher to get selected to the festival every passing year. Getting selected motivates us and we are left feeling that we have done something.”
On why he chose organ donation as the theme for the film, Snehasis had this to say: “People are still not accepting organ donation. The old mindset still bothers people, which is why they don’t go for organ donation. This is a small step I have taken to make people aware of this issue.”
