NANDA MASTER’NKA CHATASALI showcased at Film Bazaar IFFI Goa 2023, applaused by international film fraternity and nominated for NETPAC Asian Award in recently Kolkata International Film Festival 2023
The first screening of “NANDA MASTER’NKA CHATASALI” 133min Odia Indian feature documentary film on Padmashri Nanda Prusty was succesfully held in Film Bazaar section of IFFI Goa. It was attended and appluaded by many international delegates.
Nanda Master’nka Chatasali is a 133 min documentary based on the life and struggle of 104 year old Free Education Icon, Padmashri Nanda Prusty from Odisha, who selflessly devotes his life, providing 70 years of free education to 3 generations of children of his village.
Nanda Kishore Prusty was a teacher of traditional hut school (chatasali) from a remote village named Kantira, in Sukinda block, jajpur district of Odisha who shot to fame after receiving Padmashri Award from the President of India, esp. because he went on to bless the President instead of taking his blessings.
Film Bazaar is a part of India International Film Festival held every year in Goa. Film Bazaar is a converging point for South Asian and international filmmakers and film producers, sales agents, and festival programmers for potential creative and financial collaboration. Over the course of 5 days, the festival focuses on discovering, supporting, and showcasing South Asian content and talent in filmmaking, production, and distribution.
Nanda Master’nka Chatasali is the only feature film from Odisha which was part of Film Bazaar IFFI Goa 2023. It was screened in Qube theatre and viewing room attended and watched by many national and international delegates which includes the likes of German producer film acquisition head Lena Vurma of Irfan Khans LunchBox fame , European Documentary producer-distributor Likka Vehkalahti, Vinay
Umapathy-Tribeca Film Festval, etc. The director of SRFTI Himanshu Khatua and Odishas international film curator Jitendra Mishra were also among the list of audience who appreciated the film.
The film was also a part of NFDC viewing room where it was watched by many distributers from from across the globe who met the team and expressed their interest in taking it to their country and film fetsivals. It garnered praise from the audience as a unique and inspiring film on a teacher which must be shown across the world to motivate people to lead a life filled with values.
The film was nominated for a Asian NETPAC Award category of Kolkota International Film Festival 2023 opening to a packed audience at Rabindra Sadan, Nandan Film Center, Kolkota on 11th December 2023 irrespective of rains interrupting the 2nd day of the festival. . KIFF is a memeber of the elite International Producers Association and NETPAC
(https://www.netpacasia.org/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Network_for_the_Promotion_of_Asian_Cinema) is a special category to award best Asian cinema across the globe which is also a part of major festivals like Berlinale, Cannes, Rotterdam etc. Being the only film from India this year in the NETPAC category of KIFF 2023 and probably the first Odia film to do so in recent times, like the protagonist of the film, it is a new wave of hope for the struggling Odia film industry, we must all wish the team with loads of luck for the award.
https://fb.watch/oZCx2JnxCI/ audience review@ kiff
The film was among the most talked about films in the festival this year due to the cultural-language proximity of Odisha to Bengal and the simplicity of narrative capturing the works of an awe inspiring persona, Padmashri Nanda Prusty is no more but he lives through the film. Though the best NETPAC film award went to Burmese film on human rights civil war struggle but Pranab Aich’s Nanda Master’nka won the hearts of the audience and the international jury both.
The Bengal Connection: Chatasali is largely based on the selfless work and life of Nanda Prusty which hovers around free education giving a glimpse of Guru-Shishya or Teacher-student Tradition of India where Nanda Prusty’s Guru was from Nadia Bengal.
The film is produced by Dr. Abhay Pati, who is a senior journalist from Odisha, India. An educationist, entrepreneur and with his deep understanding of grass root stories, he decided to start his debut film as a producer with a documentary on the life Padmashree Nanda Prusty.
The film is directed by winner of World Photography Award Cannes, 2009 & internationally acclaimed film maker Pranab Kumar Aich, founder of Studiowaala Fims. He has received from than 40 international recognitions for his short documentaries on social issues in different languages shot across India. The team Chatasali is making efforts to ensure the film travels globally in major film festivals and then look for a theatrical and OTT release.
