The 13th International Film Festival on Art & Artists was held at Idcol Auditorium recently, in which several acclaimed and awarded shorts, documentaries and films were screened. The two-day long festival was a great occasion for cinephiles to enjoy some of the best films made on arts and artists across the globe. The opening film was a revered Australian documentary Gurrumul that’s based on Dr G Yunupingu, who was an aboriginal singer born blind with prodigious musical talent who travels to the world stage.
The festival also screened a collection of short films focusing on the making of art and crafts of Odisha, India and abroad. Odia films and filmmakers were well represented including ‘Through the Eyes of Artist’ by
Abhishek Swain, a film on the legendary Gotipura guru, Birabara Sahoo, who dedicated his life to the ancient Odissi dance form. Sand Says Something, by Manoranjan Badatya, a film based on the life of Odia sand sculptor Sudarsan Pattnaik. Two films by Pankaja Sethi, a short doucmentary Kabir Ke Julahe and Niyam Ku Niyam showcasing the life of tribal communities in Odisha. A two-day filmmaking workshop, titled this year- 4K Films on a Budget -which covers aspects of production such as cinematography, sound recording, and visual storytelling was conducted by independent filmmakers and media-trainers Nandan Saxena and Kavita Bahl. Besides, there was a discussion on the Development and Promotion of Odisha Tourism through Cinema.