BHUBANESWAR: Two Odia filmmakers Sisir Kumar Sahu and Rajesh Kumar Mohanty have made their mark in the upcoming Cannes Film Festival through their movies ‘Swahaa’ and ‘Antardhwani’.
National Award-winning cinematographer-filmmaker Apurba Kishore Bir has directed the movie Antardhwani which was produced under the banner of 24FPS Entertainment. The character of lead role was played by Delhi-based Odia model-turned-actress Swapna Pati.
Briefing about the movie, Rajesh Kumar Mohanty said, “This is a proud moment for me and also for the state. The film has been made in natural light. The uniqueness of the movie is that forests and its environment have played a key role in the movie.”
“The film is about a young mind’s response to an unlawful activity, which gradually turns it towards crime. Then begins the journey of introspection and deep realisation,” he said, adding that the film was shot in Odisha, Uttarakhand and Mumbai.
‘Swahaa’ has earned a special nomination for screening at the 72th Cannes Film Festival Short Film Corner 2019. It will be screened May 23. The film which was produced by Pradeep Sahoo is a 25-minute short film which is based on two poets of different generations and how they come close despite their difference in their ideologies, for good literary interactions. It has Suresh Mishra, who has also penned the screenplay and dialogues, Subhasmita Rath and Pallavi Barbie in lead roles.
This is Sahu’s third short film after ‘Roja’ and ‘Farchaa’ (Dawn), which was screened at 19th MAMI Mumbai Film Festival in large short film category and 23rd Kolkata International Film Festival. Sahu is an alumnus of Biju Patnaik Film and Television Institute of Odisha.
A third movie with an Odisha connect at Cannes is ‘Jungle Cry’, which follows the lives of 12 underprivileged children from the Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences in Odisha and their triumphant journey to the International Junior Rugby Tournament held in England in 2007.
Its director Sagar Ballary is known for his films Bheja Fry, Bheja Fry 2 and Bhatukli (Marathi). Producer Prashant Shah has 25 years of experience in the media and entertainment industry, as a strategic and creative lead in production, distribution and exhibition, as well as an actor.
