Short Film contest
Post News Network
BHUBANESWAR: UNICEF Orissa, in partnership with AAINA, gave away five awards as part of ‘Kallola’, a short film contest on child rights, at a glittering ceremony held in the city Saturday. Acclaimed director and actor of Bengali film industry Aparna Sen was present as chief guest and she was the one
who presented the awards to the winners. Speaking on the occasion Aparna said: “While taking a look at films that were shown in Kallola 2017, my mind went back to those days when I had my first experience of looking through the lens of a camera. It was really wonderful to have a taste of the message which was conveyed at this film contest that we should all raise our voices to condemn and prevent violence against children. We should protect the young souls and respect them too.’’ “For this to happen, more such films needed to be made and shown to the people so that awareness is created and spread among all the layers of society.
Children should be given their space,’’ Aparna added. After her maiden award-winning film “36, Chowringhee Lane’’ that became an instant super hit and found critical acclaim, Aparna went on to make a string of films in Bengali and English and is considered a topnotch film maker in the industry. Kasturi Mohapatra, Chairperson of Orissa State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (OSCPCR), D. Prasanth Ku. Reddy, IAS, Director, Orissa State Child
Protection Society (OSCPS), Department of WCD of the Orissa government, Yumi Bae, Chief, UNICEF Orissa, Oriya actor Anubhav Mohanty and film and theatre personality Ananta Mohapatra also graced the occasion. The theme of this year’s Kallola2017 was – End Violence Against Children…SOCH BADLO! Of the 44 entries of short films for this year’s contest of 30, 60 and 90 second duration, 10 films were selected for the final round by the jury
panel headed by filmmaker Ananta Mohapatra. From these 10 films, the best short film award was given to Bachpan made by Sangram Keshari Sahu which depicts the story of children facing sexual harassment and that too by teachers. The second award was given to ‘Asha Gobara Ra” by Biswanath Swain and it is worth mentioning that the film got the Children’s Choice Award. It tells the story of a small boy Gibara who wants to go to school. The 3rd runners up
award went to Soch Badlo by Ramachandra Meher. The Jury’s Choice award was handed over to ‘The Open Door’ by Suraj Pattnayak. The underlying theme of Kallola 2017 was to put an end to violence in any form – physical, sexual, emotional and mental – against children. This year, five short films produced by 15 children were also screened under the non-competitive section-Kallola Junior. The children were selected from a child care institution under the Integrated Child Protection Scheme of Orissa government and in partnership with the Department of Women and Child Development, Government of Orissa. Anubhav Mohanty stated, “even if parents are very busy these days they should spend quality and fruitful time with children and it’s a collective responsibility of all to raise the voice against perpetration of violence against children and spread the awareness for the same.” Mohanty informed that he is in the process of making a Hindi film on child psychology. Kasturi Mohapatra, Chairperson OSCPCR, said: “We all together should take the pledge and to counter violence against children and make unstinted efforts to ensure that our concern for the well-being of the children creates an effect on the minds of the young and the old.”
