Showcasing 41 films from 15 countries, the 12th annual edition of the Festival of Films on Art and Artists, being hosted by the city-based Jatin Das Centre of Art (JDCA) and spanning over three days will open at the IDCOL auditorium here on Friday. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is scheduled to inaugurate it.
Launched as a national film festival, it turned international last year. The festival this year features entries from counties including Germany, Australia, Canada, Iraq, Argentina, India, the USA, France, Iran, Russia, Switzerland and Denmark.
The festival chooses a theme every year as its focus; and literature has been the focus of this year’s event.
Iconic filmmaker Satyajit Ray’s landmark movie ‘Shatranj-ke-Khiladi’ (The Chess Players), based on a short story of the same name written by legendary litterateur Munshi Premchand, will be one of the many such screenings. The international event has a special section for Odisha’s writers and filmmakers. Films made on literary works of writers like Manoj Das and works of filmmakers like Nirad Mohapatra and Raju Mishra will be screened during the festival.
The event will further commemorate the legacy left by late Nirad Mohapatra by reflecting on his works.
Five of his films will be shown that would include the landmark movie ‘Maya Miriga’ (The Mirage) apart from ‘Ahilyara Bahaghara (Ahilya’s Wedding), ‘Chhau Dance of Mayurhanja’, ‘Dhauligiri Shantistupa’ and ‘Pata Paintings’. A panel discussion will also be held on him.
A bunch of French animation short films will be screened during the festival as part of the ongoing Indo-French cultural festival at Bonjour India.
Famed film personality Nandita Das, daughter of Jatin Das, will deliver an illustrated lecture from ‘Written Words to Moving Images’ based on her forthcoming film ‘Manto’. Similarly, award-winning filmmaker Nandan Saxena will lead a digital film workshop titled ‘Cinematography on a Budget’ while animation expert Manisha Mohan will present an illustrated lecture titled ‘Animation and New Media’.
Founded by New Delhi-based eminent Odia painter Jatin Das in 1997, the JDCA has been hosting the monthly Meet-the-Artist series for the past 15 years apart
from this annual film festival. the first of its kind in Asia and the only of its kind in India, besides building up a museum in the capital.