Six-year-old Film Journalists’ Forum (FJF) of Odisha has come up with an ambitious action plan for the current and next calendar years that includes launch of an annual international film festival in Bhubaneswar.
“History has recorded the pivotal role played by film journalists and writers in the growth and dissemination of film culture across the world. The FJF has been launched primarily to preserve and promote Odia cinema culture. So far, we have screened 13 classics of Odia cinema which had faded into oblivion due to lack of archives and screening. Unfortunately, ‘Sita Vivah’, the first Odia movie, has been lost. In association with the National Film Archives of India, Pune, we are trying to trace out clippings of the film for posterity,” explained FJF founder-secretary and film historian Surya Deo at a meeting of the forum here on Sunday.
“In addition to our key objective, we intend to educate the public about the trends in cinema at the national and international level. Hence, I proposed today to host an annual international film festival for Bhubaneswar. Many Indian cities have their own annual film festivals that help their people to have a taste of world cinema. Time is ripe for Bhubaneswar,” pointed out FJF founder-member Ashish Gadanayak.
The meeting further decided to publish a year book of Odia cinema that would contain all information on the films released during the year along with a record of the major happenings in the film-scene related to Odia film industry.
The FJF will also mount an exhibition of Odia film magazines early next year, the meeting decided.
Another FJF founder-member Ashok Panda informed that rare still photographs of a number of old Odia films are in possession of the forum now for use by journalists, writers and researchers on cinema.
Another founder member Satya Panigrahi added that the FJF has traced out three important Odia films which were almost lost – ‘Suryamukhi’, ‘Aparichita’ and ‘Kiea Jite Kiea Haare’. These would be screened for the public during the next nine months, he added.
Forum members Sangeeta Mohapatra and Alfa Ray suggested that the FJF take up issue-based campaigns through the media like revival of the dying Kalinga Studios. Niroj Muduli, Pabitra Goud, Priyabrat Panda and Sanjay proposed due documentation of FJF activities, publication of a bulletin and use of social media to promote the Odia film culture.
Prasant Paikray and Hara Prasad Mohapatra proposed to have special events to highlight eminent personalities of the Odia film industry.
In collaboration with the State Department of Culture, the FJF has planned Geetichhaya, an exclusive exhibition of rare photographs of musical recordings for Odia films over 50 years (1936 to 1986) that would be inaugurated during November by flute maestro Hariprasad Chaurasia, who was a music composer for Odia films during his days in Odisha, informed Surya Deo.
