Cuttack, November 22: The National Road Safety Short Film Festival 2023 has received an overwhelming response with 247 entries from across the country, said an official release.
According to a State Transport Authority (STA) statement, filmmakers, amateur film enthusiasts and students have submitted entries in the form of documentary, experimental, narrative, fiction, non-fiction and animation format.
“There are entries in seven languages from seven States. The qualified entries include 145 films in Odia language and 75 films in non- Odia languages. This includes eight animation films and seven silent films,” it said.
“Apart from Odia language, there are quite a few entries in Santali language as well from tribal belts of the State. There are also entries in Hindi, Telugu, Bengali, Malayalam and English on various aspects of road safety,” it added.
Entries were also made from Punjab, Maharashtra, Kerala, Assam, Delhi and West Bengal. This year students from our neighbouring countries which include Nepal, Bangladesh and Kenya who are studying in Bhubaneswar have also sent films for the festival.
Winners will be selected by a judging panel of film industry professionals and non-industry professionals, luminaries from different walks of life. The shortlisted films will be screened at Berhampur on December 1, Sambalpur on December 4 and Angul on December 7. The grand finale of the festival will be held in Bhubaneswar on December 12.
The festival organized by the State Transport Department aims to raise awareness of road safety issues and promote increased engagement in road safety cooperation in the state of Odisha as well as across the nation to reduce the road accidents and fatalities related to it.
The first edition of the festival organised in 2022, a first-of-its-kind event in the country was appreciated by the Supreme Court Committee on Road Safety and was adjudged as one of the best practices for Road Safety awareness.
The best film in both Odia and non-Odia categories will get a cash award of Rs 1 lakh, first runner-up will get Rs 80,000 and the second runner-up will receive Rs 60,000.The best director, best music, cinematography and best actor/actress will get Rs 25,000 each in both the categories.
