Bhubaneswar, Feb 15: The state government, through its Social Security and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (SSEPD) department, has announced to organise the National Short Film Festival on Disability Issues, titled ‘Samarthya’.
The festival, to be organised by RR Events & Cine Production, aims to shed light on the challenges faced by individuals with disabilities while encouraging their participation in various fields and advocating for their rights.
The details of the festival were unveiled during a press meet held at a city hotel Saturday, which was attended by eminent personalities from the film industry and government officials.
Director, RR Events & Cine Production, Ramesh Barik, said the festival will accept film submissions from February 17 to March 10, 2025. “Filmmakers, students, and content creators from across the country are invited to participate by submitting short films with a duration of two to five minutes, focusing on themes related to disability, inclusion, and empowerment,” he said.
Barik said a thorough evaluation process has been put in place, with jury screenings scheduled from March 13 to March 16, 2025. The shortlisted films will compete in various categories, with winners to be announced during a Grand Award Ceremony on March 19, 2025.
The event will witness the presence of celebrities from the Hindi and Odia film industries, he said.
The Odisha government has allocated Rs 10 lakh in prize money, to be distributed across multiple categories.
Among those present on the occasion included actress Archita Sahu, filmmaker Sabyasachi Mahapatra, actress Pinki Pradhan, Additional Secretary SSEPD Deepak Rautarai, and Departmental Director SSEPD Niyati Pattnaik.