Oriya films right from Sita Vivah (1936) until recent times have portrayed the flavour of Oriya life while enhancing the glory of art and artistes
Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, Jan 12: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Friday inaugurated the Twelfth International Film Festival, organised by Jatin Das Centre of Art (JDCA). Addressing the festival at Idcol Auditorium here, Patnaik said Oriya films right from Sita Vivah (1936) until recent times have portrayed the flavour of Oriya life while enhancing the glory of art and artistes.
However, the JDCA endeavour to popularise art and artists is praiseworthy. The incorporation of literature at the fest patronises authors and classical writings of Fakir Mohan Senapati, Kalindi Charan Panigrahi and Gopinath Mohanty among others.” A documentary film, Aajira Orissa, presented by Biren Das and another on Khadi, In conversation with Martand Singh by Prasad Bidapa, a fashion stylist, were screened on the occasion. The last Maharaja of Rewa was a pioneer of handicrafts and his personal take on Khadi cloth and fashion which was featured in the film. He had considered the use of Kishan Charkha with Khadi as weapon of attaining freedom. Addressing the delegates, JDCA chairman Jatin Das said “Orissa needs to develop a respectful attitude towards art and artists who are behind it. He also urged the Government to provide financial assistance to complete the JD art museum at the earliest. Therefore, a holistic movement to preserve art and craft should be launched. JDCA’s effort is like a drop in the ocean. People from every walk of life should come and encourage art forms.” The three-day fest is expected to showcase award-winning films and documentaries which may have a profound impact on the psyche of every thinking indi vidual, Das hoped.
Orissa Tourism Minister Ashok Panda, pattachitra artist Dinabandhu Mohapatra, Subroto Bhomick, Aruna Basudev, Siddhartha Das, and actress Nandita Das were among those
who were present on the occasion. The festival also had a pavilion that showcased works of diverse artist in the field of handicrafts. The morning session was compered by Sunit Tandon and vote of thanks was proposed by JDCA vice-chairman Siddhartha Das. In the second session, Manto, a movie based on Indo-Pakistani author Saadat Hasan Manto’s life and directed by Nandita Das, was screened.
The movie advocates the author’s concern for upholding freedom of speech. “It is vital to open up and share your thoughts and feelings. If we don’t dare speak up what we think, then our thoughts can wither in ourselves. Who knows what an open forum of discussion might bring in? Manto is the living example of that thought,” pointed out Nandita Das.
