New Delhi: Delhi based film producer & promoter Jitendra Mishra from Odisha, who has been promoting Indian films in the international platforms is now in a mission to promote some National film award winning films of this year at the upcoming 70th Cannes Film Festival, scheduled during 17-28 May 2017.
His line-up includes, Shankhajeet De’s feature documentary ‘In the shadow of time’ (Ravana Chhaya) produced by Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, which got the National film award for best film on Art & Culture in the non-feature category, National Film Award for Best Konkani film ‘K Sera Sera’ directed by Rajeev Shinde & produced by Rajesh Pednekar, Gayatri Pednekar of De Goan Studio, National Film Award for Best non-feature animation film ‘We make Images’ (Hum Chitra Banate hai) directed by Nina Sabnani, Animated by Piyush Varma, Shyam Sundar Chatterjee & produced by IDC, IIT Bombay. The list also includes IGNCA’s documentary ‘Leela in Kheriya’ directed by Molly Kaushal along with a slate of fifty other children films in all categories. Mr Mishra has been a member of ‘Cannes Producers Network’ and he is going to present the whole slate of more than 50 Indian meaningful films in the network along with other related forums this year. He is also having the market premier of ‘K Sera Sera’ on 25th May, 12hrs in Gray5 theatre of Marche du film.
“We at Smile films – siffcy, an initiative of Smile Foundation have been trying to build bridge between good Indian independent films and their prospective world platforms, with an objective to support great Indian stories reach larger international audience and spread awareness about the rich Indian art, culture & heritage values along with some other important topics of the country. We have many great stories & filmmakers making world-class films having potential in commercial viability as well, but we have hardly any exploitation avenues for these kind of low-budget independent films here, that is the reason we are trying to develop an alternative method of promotion & distribution in global platforms” said festival director-siffcy Mr Jitendra Mishra. This year the Marche du film opening night is going to celebrate 70th year of Indian independence & 70th edition of Cannes film festival, so presenting a slate of more than 50 Indian meaningful films together on this occasion is a great feeling for us, added Mr Mishra.
‘In the shadow of time’ – ‘Samayara Chhaire’ is a feature length documentary film that explores the journey of ‘Ravana Chhaya’ in the last over 40 years. It appreciates and questions the ideas of change, ownership, usurpation and appropriation in the process of bettering and defining a tradition. Ravana Chhaya shadow puppetry tradition was practiced in central regions of Odisha in eastern India by the minstrel Bhata community who narrated the story of Ramayana to a rural audience since ages. ‘We Make Images’ is an animated interpretation of a creation myth from the Bhil community in Madhya Pradesh, for whom communal painting is equivalent to offering prayer. The film is a collaboration by director Nina Sabnani and indigenous artist Sher Singh. Whereas ‘Leela in Kheriya’ is a documentary based on the Ramlila tradition in an Indian village called Kheriy. Several major roles here are played by Muslims including that of Ram and Sita both. The Hindu – Muslim camaraderie in Kheriya exists not only during the Ramlila but is reflected in their daily lives as well.
Cannes film festival has been a potential market for all kind of films, last year more than 11000 participants participated in the Marche including 1700 buyers and 3450 films were being presented from all over the world. On one hand the festival is one of the major festivals on the other hand the market is an important meeting platform for all buyers, sellers, festival organizers, producers and other related professional and these interesting films from India are going to get an international exposure through this platform very soon.
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