Koraput: The camera is rolling more frequently in Jeypore these days, but the change is not merely about the town emerging as a shooting location. A growing group of filmmakers, writers, actors and technicians is slowly building a film culture of its own, giving local talent a platform to tell stories from southern Odisha.With the town’s strong cultural identity, with its music, traditions, tribal heritage and diverse social landscape, filmmakers now appear increasingly willing to look within their own surroundings for subjects and characters.From independent productions to feature films, a number of local creators are now taking the initiative to develop projects in Jeypore. Recently released Odia film ‘Maliput Melodies’ is one example of this growing enthusiasm. Built around four stories, the film brings together local artistes and technicians, and showcases the possibilities of producing cinema with talent from the region. Making its presence felt beyond Odisha, the film was screened at the 56th International Film Festival of India in Goa last year.The films journey reflects the growing ambition among local filmmakers to take their work beyond the regional audience. The emergence of local production houses has added momentum to the movement, creating opportunities for artistes and technicians who previously had limited avenues to pursue cinema without moving to bigger cities.The emergence of such production houses has helped bring together different aspects of filmmaking, from acting and direction to cinematography, editing and other technical work. Filmmakers Amar Mishra and Vishal Patnaik are among those involved in nurturing this emerging filmmaking culture and strengthening the local production ecosystem.The movement is not confined to filmmakers. Writers are also playing an important role in providing stories and dialogues rooted in local experiences. Story and dialogue writer Sudhakar Patnaik is among the creative voices contributing to the growing body of work emerging from the region.“Jeypore has talent, stories and people who are passionate about cinema. The challenge is to create an environment where this talent gets opportunities to work and improve,” says Patnaik.The growth of digital platforms and social media has also lowered some of the traditional barriers for independent filmmakers. A film no longer needs to originate in a major production centre to find an audience, says Mishra.It could create a sustainable creative ecosystem, in which local talent can work, collaborate and tell stories, without having to leave the region, says Narendra Patnaik, former assistant director at All India Radio, Jeypore.The journey, however, is still at an early stage, but the signs are visible, says Patnaik. What matters now is to sustain this momentum.
